A New Chance
by Fighter33000
Summary: Arthur Jones is a young boy whose life is a living hell. One day, he finds a weird hourglass that takes him to another world. There, he meets a strange little girl named Hat Kid. Although they don't get along first, they learn to understand each other and embark on a journey to retrieve magical hourglasses called Time Pieces. Rated T for violence, suicidal thoughts, etc.
1. Prologue

Prologue

_'Great... Once again, it's just one of those dull and hellish days... as always...'_

These are the thoughts of a young boy who was walking down the street after a long day of school. For many it would be just a normal day, but for him... it was just another day where everything sucked – which he now considered a 'normal' day.

The boy had messy brown hair and green emerald eyes. He was wearing a light green T-shirt, dark blue jeans supported by a dark brown belt, and black and white sneakers. Looking closely, one could notice bags under his eyes due to a lack of sleep.

His name is Arthur Jones, a 12 years old boy. His life was a living hell: an abusive father with anger and drinking issues, his classmates would bully him every chance they get, and on top of that no one including his professors would do a thing about it.

Everyday was the same routine: waking up, receiving insults and threats from his father for not receiving enough good grades, going to school, assisting to some long and boring classes, getting bullied by the other kids, going back home, hiding in his room and playing video games until bed time.

A few years ago, he used to be a nice, cheerful, hopeful, yet shy boy. However, this same routine and everything he went through had changed him... He grew cold, bitter, aggressive and somewhat snarky. He became distrustful of other people, prefering solitude, and has been suffering from depression and anxiety. On top of all that, he has been having suicidal thoughts and even tried to commit suicide a few times, but it always failed as he would either chicken out or someone would get in the way. As he always said: even death didn't want him.

As he was making his way back home, Arthur looked at the piece of paper in his hand with a desperate expression. It was a math test he did last week, and the results were not pretty for him: another F.

God... he hated math! No matter how hard he worked on it, he would always get a bad grade at this class. It was too complicated for him! So much numbers, theories, and methods... If he was being honest, he had stopped trying to understand a long time ago, even though he knew his father wouldn't be happy about it. Just the thought of it made him cringe. He sighed, relucantly putting the test in his backpack. If he could, he would just crumple the paper and toss it in the first trash can he saw, but he knew he couldn't...

"Guess I better prepare for dad to give me hell... Honestly, I don't care anymore... He could just kill me for all I care, that'd do me a favor..." Arthur grumbled. Though he really didn't want to deal with his father just yet. If he could somehow delay the confrontation for just another day, that would still be something... even if he knew he was screwed anyway. He secretly hoped his father would be either passed out drunk on the couch or away at the bar so that he could easily hide in his room and just play video games for the evening, maybe even draw a bit. Arthur enjoyed drawing as well, it was a way for him to express his creativity and just pass time.

Arthur was pulled out of his thoughts when his house came in sight. He could already feel his anxiety kicking in and he hoped he wouldn't start hyperventilating now. It was a problem he had with his anxiety: he would begin to hyperventilate whenever the situation gets too stressful or intense for him and then he would have to try to calm himself down which usually takes a while. He stopped and took a few seconds to breathe. Once he calmed down, he took a deep breathe and began walking again.

"Well... here goes nothing," he said as he headed for the entrance. He reached it and slowly turned the handle. He slowly pushed the door open and took a peek inside, looking around for any sign of his father... and he spotted him. Here he was, out cold on the couch in the living room, with the TV still on. Judging by the few bottles of beer that were lying on the side of the couch, he probably drank until he passed out.

Arthur sighed in relief. Maybe he won't have to face his father today after all, but he'd still have to deal with him the next day, which is something he wasn't looking forward to. He slowly stepped inside, closing the door behind him silently as to not wake up his sleeping father. He then tiptoed his way upstairs and into his bedroom, making sure to lock the door behind him.

Arthur took a few seconds to breathe, relieved that he was able to avoid his father. He looked around his bedroom. It was a bit disorganised, his bed was undone, some old toys, papers, and notebooks were scattered on the floor and his bed too. There was a desk with a computer on it, which allowed him to play games and make some researches on the Internet for his homework. A TV was also set in front of the bed, which he only used to watch his favorite movies. The room was a bit dark due to the window being only slightly open. Hanging up on his wall were posters of some of his favorite movies and video games, as well as some of his drawings, all old western themed. Indeed, Arthur was a big fan of the Wild West. It always fascinated him. Cowboys, horses, old trains... he just loved it all.

Speaking of which, he made his way toward his closet and opened it. His eyes set on something he always treasured: a cowboy hat. It was black, made of leather, and a string was wrapped around it forming a knot on the side of the hat. Arthur picked it up and smiled as he looked at it. It was something his mom bought for him for one of his birthdays a few years ago before she... He shook his head. He didn't want to think about that again. Every time he did, he could feel tears forming in his eyes and then he'd be called a crybaby if done in public. No... he would make sure to never show any sign of weaknesses to anyone ever again.

Arthur put the hat on his head, happy to wear it again. He'd only do so when he was in his bedroom since he knew people would make fun of it if they saw it, even his dad called it stupid once. He shook his head and walked toward his computer to play video games. However, that's when he noticed something new... There was a strange hourglass resting on his desk, right in front of his computer screen.

"Huh? That's new... Where did that come from?" Arthur asked to himself. He picked it up to examine it, but as he did he noticed something off about this hourglass. It was... glowing? How does it just do that? There was no sign of light bulb or any other light sources in it!

"The heck...?" he said confused.

Suddenly, a loud crashing noise and a swear coming from downstairs caused Arthur to jump in surprise and drop the hourglass in the process. He tried to catch it but he wasn't fast enough, and then... ***CRASH!*** The strange object hit the ground and shattered on impact.

"Ah, god dammit!" Arthur shouted in frustration. However, to his surprise, the broken hourglass began to glow brighter and brighter, and suddenly what looked like a strange portal appeared right above it.

"What the..." Arthur said as he looked at the portal with wide eyes. He took a few steps back until he suddenly felt himself being pulled toward the portal.

"What?! No no NO!" he yelled as panic overwhelmed him. He quickly turned around, trying to grab onto the foot of his bed but he missed it from an inch.

Arthur let out a scream as he was sucked inside the portal and disappeared out of sight. As he did, the portal vanished and the broken hourglass was gone like it never was here in the first, leaving the room empty.

**A/N: Hey everyone! So yeah... this is my first story attempt on and this is A Hat in Time story. Now, I'm aware that this kind of story has probably be done before, but I really wanted to do my own version with an OC. I promise I'll do my best to make it as different from other versions as possible. Also I'd like to make things clear first: this isn't a self-insert. The main protagonist of this story has a different name, a different age, a different personality, etc. It's a character I've come up with and doesn't represent me in any way. Also I can't really define a schedule for when I'll be updating this story, it will depends on my motivation, disponibilities, etc. This story was inspired by 'Finding Home' from Imagigamegirl, 'Megacharge' from 1423, 'A Journey Through Time' from TheGrimSavage13 and 'A Hat in Time: Amnesiac's Journey' from Konan720.**

**With that said, I hope you enjoy this story and I'll see you guys next time.**

**PS: I'm open to all kinds of feedback, so if you guys have suggestions or things to say to improve my stories whether it's positive or negative, just let me know. Just a warning, I won't tolerate reviews that are meant to just lash at me or hate on my stories. You know... that kind of comment that says _"Booo! Your stories suck! Get a life!"_. Yeah, these kind of comments will be straight up ignored. No use making them. Alright, that's all folks!**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Ugh... My head... I wanna die..."

Arthur woke up with a headache... and not just any headache. It was the kind of headache you would get after a long night of drinking, only worse. Not that Arthur tried it before of course, he was way too young and he had seen enough of his father to know that it was bad idea to even start.

He slowly sat up with a groan, his left hand on his forehead as he tried to shake off the bad feeling. God, it's been a while since he had felt this bad. It's like waking up in a hospital bed after being unconscious for days, and he talked about experience... He slowly opened his eyes to observe his surroundings and finds himself in a unfamiliar place.

"Where... Where am I?" Arthur wondered as he looked around in confusion. He was in an open room with two levels, a large vault next to a big screen on the second level, a TV off to the side and some strange looking doors leading to other rooms. Resting his left hand on the floor, he could feel the soft fabric of the carpet that was covering the entire lower level. This wasn't his bedroom! Where the heck was he?

As Arthur was trying to process everything, he remembered what happened earlier. He went home after another dreadful day of school, walked past his passed-out drunk father, and found a... strange glowing hourglass in his bedroom. After that he accidentally dropped it and the next thing he knew he was sucked into this portal that emerged from it. Wait a second... He quickly reached an hand to the top of his head and began to panic when he felt that his favorite cowboy hat was no longer here. He quickly looked around and found it resting on the carpet on his left side. He sighed in relief and grabbed it to put it back on his head. This hat meant a lot to him, no way in the world he would dare to lose it.

Getting back to the situation he was in, Arthur got up to his feet to take another look at the place. However, when he turned around, he found himself with a sight that nearly sent him through a heart attack. Behind a huge window, there was a huge void! This wasn't just any void though... He could see stars in the distance and there even was a strange looking planet below. He was in space! In **SPACE**! And that's when realization hit him: the room he was in was part of a **spaceship**!

This newfound informartion was a lot to take in, not to mention he had a fear of heights and just watching the empty void behind that window... Oh god... Arthur could feel himself start to hyperventilate, but he did his best to control himself.

_'Pull yourself together, Arthur. You're gonna be fine. Can't fall as long as you're in there...'_ he thought as he took some deep breathes. He eventually managed to calm himself down. As he continued to look outside the window, he asked himself the big question...

"Just where the hell did I end up at?"

* * *

In another room of the spaceship, a young girl was groggily making her way toward her closet. She had brown long hair tied into a ponytail and turquoise blue eyes. She was wearing a long-sleeved purple pajamas with an orange cat face on it and she was barefeet. Her name was Hat Kid. Yeah, strange name you might say... but she has it because, one, she likes it, two, the purple top hat she was lazily dragging behind in her hand summed it all up pretty much, and three, for reasons that only the small child knew.

Hat Kid had just gotten out of bed. Indeed, she had been brutally awaken by the loud alarm once again. God, she hated that alarm! She really needed to change it at some point, but every time she wanted to she felt too lazy to do so. She really needed to get over herself sometimes... She opened her closet and went to grab an outfit: a long-sleeved purple shirt with a bright yellow cape sporting a large zipper, some white pants and brown boots. Even though she only had one outfit, she really loved it and she doesn't see herself changing it anytime soon. She proceeded to change into it, putting the clothes and her boots on. She also fixed her hair a little before putting the hat on top of her head. Finally, she hung her pajamas in the closet and closed it.

She let out a yawn and stretched her arms a little before setting her mind on today's task. It's been days since she was travelling space in her trusty spaceship. She was on her way back home after going off on an adventure to retrieve some Time Pieces that ended up on another planet.

Hat Kid was excited to go home. She missed everyone there and to be honest, she needed a break after that. Indeed, the results of her adventure weren't pretty... The planet she went on was very unstable and although she was able to retrieve all of the Time Pieces in time, the planet ended up being destroyed. Hat Kid wished she could have done something to prevent that from happening, but at least she was able to help the inhabitants escape before the explosion occured.

Dismissing the thought, Hat Kid made her way to the main room, the first door opening as she walked through it. She went through the second door that directly led to the main room. However, as she did, she saw something or rather... **someone**, standing near the large window that gave view to space. She gasped and quickly hid behind the wall. She took a peek to see if they had spotted her but to her relief they were too busy looking outside the window to notice.

She used a few seconds to take a look at the intruder. It was a boy, he seemed slightly older than her and he was wearing a strange black hat. Hat Kid was confused. Who was he? How did he get on her spaceship undetected? The intruder alarm was supposed to trigger if someone got through the hatch! She would need to check that as well... But more importantly: what was he doing here? Nobody except a few people from her planet knew she was here! So why did he come on her spaceship?

That only meant one thing... He was probably here to steal her Time Pieces! Hat Kid frowned. No one will lay a finger on her Time Pieces as long as she was here! She made on oath to keep them safe no matter what and that's exactly what she is gonna do!

She pulled out a blue umbrella that she used as a weapon and began to slowly walk toward the intruder. He seemed unaware of her presence so she kept going, hoping to catch him by surprise.

Arthur on the other hand was still staring outside the window. The situation was so overwhelming, and yet after calming down a little and just looking at the empty space, he found it absolutely... beautiful... relaxing... Just watching the shining stars, the different details of the planet below from afar... Just beautiful...

Suddenly, he could feel a presence behind him and it seemed to get closer. His instincts were telling him that someone was trying to sneak on him. He frowned. No... No one will get the jump on him this time. A lot of people have done that already, he wasn't about to let that happen again. If he had to defend himself, he would... He gritted his teeth and balled his hands into fists, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Eventually, the person got close enough and, seizing his chance, Arthur quickly turned around and threw a punch at the stranger. However, the latter had quick reflexes and jumped back to dodge it. Arthur looked at his attacker angrily and was able to see their appearance. It was another kid, a girl to be more specific. She was wearing a purple top hat and she had an umbrella in her hand. She seemed slightly younger than him, probably three years younger. He looked at her in shock and his expression softened. He couldn't just attack a little girl like that, it wasn't right... Maybe she didn't mean to sneak on him like that.

However, seeing that he let his guard down, the girl suddenly charged at him and whacked him across the face with her umbrella before he could react. The hit was so hard that he did a spin and fell face first on the floor. Arthur's vision was blurry and he was losing consciousness quite fast. He looked to the side to see the other child slowly walk toward him with an angry expression on her face and that was the last thing he saw before his eyes closed and he drifted out of consciousness.

* * *

Arthur slowly opened his eyes, letting out a groan in the process. His face felt really sore from the hit he took. His vision was still a bit blurry, so he shook his head to wake himself up a little. After a few seconds, he could see clearly again. He tried to move but strangely found himself unable to.

"What the...?" he said confused. Looking down at his body, he noticed ropes wrapped all around him. Wait... ropes? He tried to move his hands but he couldn't do that either. He turned his head and saw ropes restaining his hands behind the chair he was sitting on. He was tied up... The damn kid had tied him up to a freaking chair! Arthur sighed in frustration.

_'Just fantastic... This day really couldn't get any worse,'_ he thought angrily. Now he couldn't even trust a little girl to not attack him out of the blue.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard a robotic noise. He looked down at his feet and saw a little robot vacuum cleaner on the floor. Its form was cylindrical, it seemed an inch taller than Arthur's feet and it had some pink lighted LED face on the front. Judging by the look of said face, it seemed angry at him. Arthur glared back at it.

"What? See something green?" he asked sarcastically. In response, the small robot jumped up and down furiously and began to bump into Arthur's feet repeatedly, making angry robotic noises in the process. It was trying to attack him but its bumping clearly did nothing to him. The twelve-year-old boy simply stared at it, clearly unamused. Suddenly, a door opening was heard from a distance, causing the small robot to stop its 'attack'. Arthur turned his head and saw the purple hatted child exit a room on the second level.

After knocking the intruder out and tying him up to a chair in the middle of the main room, Hat Kid had decided to have some breakfast in the kitchen while waiting for him to wake up. As she exited the kitchen, she made her way toward her monitor. She brought her finger to the screen and touched it, letting out a small "Boop!" as she did. It was just something she loved to do whenever she touched the monitor, she found it funny. The screen then showed her spaceship's fuel, which showed 56/56, and seconds later it switched to show her trip's progress. She was halfway from reaching her home planet. It brought a smile to her face as she stepped back to observe her progress.

However, her smile dropped when she remembered her 'unexpected guest'. Right, she had yet to check if he was awake and interrogate him. She climbed down the ladder to the lower level and was greeted by Rumbi, her trusty robot vacuum cleaner, who jumped up and down happily upon seeing her. Hat Kid waved at it with a smile. Rumbi made a happy face and went back to cleaning up the large room. Hat Kid turned her attention to the boy tied up to the chair and noticed he was awake. She walked up to him, and once she was close enough she took a good look at him. God, he looked horrible! His face was a bit pale and she could notice the bags under his eyes. Was he sick or something? She stood there without a word as she continued to stare at him.

A few seconds passed and Arthur was starting to get very unconfortable. He didn't like when people just stared at him without saying anything, it was very unnerving and it felt like they were silently judging him. He began to grow irritated.

"What?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

Hat Kid snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Arthur with a serious expression. She pulled out her umbrella and pointed it at him. She raised an eyebrow, earning a confused look from Arthur. Then he understood, the girl was trying to interrogate him but she wasn't saying anything. She probably didn't like to talk. This meant he would have to figure out what the hatted child was trying to say. Right now it was easy, she was asking what he was doing on her spaceship.

"Look, I didn't mean to get here. I was in my room minding my own business, then I found this strange hourglass, accidentally broke it, and the next I knew I woke up here! That's all I know," Arthur answered truthfully. However, Hat Kid narrowed her eyes at him. Clearly she didn't believe him.

"That's the truth, I ended up here by _accident_! I don't even know what's going here!" he said hoping to convince his captor, but she still wasn't having it. Arthur sighed in defeat.

"Forget about it... Look, just let me go and I'll leave. You'll never see me again," Arthur pleaded.

Hat Kid blinked. He was asking her to just let him go? Was he saying the truth? Did he really end up here by accident? She shook her head firmly. No, she couldn't allow herself to fall for that trick... If she did he would probably try to attack her or come back later for revenge, then he would steal her Time Pieces and she would have failed in her mission. She couldn't take any risks, especially since he nearly hit her before. Arthur's jaw dropped.

"Are you serious?! You can't just keep me here! I wanna go home, you hear?!" he spat angrily. Hat Kid still refused to let him go and she blew a raspberry at him in response. Arthur was taken aback by that, his eye began to twitch and he could feel his anger boiling up in his blood.

"Well, screw you then..." he muttered bitterly. Nobody ever listens to him anyway... A gurgling noise suddenly came out of his stomach. He was getting hungry... He hadn't eaten well at lunch and he didn't have time to eat something before he was transported here. He sighed and looked Hat Kid in the eyes.

"Well... Could you at least bring something to eat, please? I'm starving..." he asked desperatedly.

Hat Kid shrugged. If she had to keep him here as her prisoner, that's probably the least she could do for him. She walked back into the kitchen and came back seconds later with a slice of pizza on a plate in her hand. She placed it on Arthur's legs and simply stared at him. Arthur looked at the slice of pizza on his legs, then back at Hat Kid with a are-you-kidding-me look.

"Really? How am I supposed to eat when my hands are still **tied up**?" he asked, wriggling his tied hands to prove his point. Hat Kid simply shrugged, telling him to figure it out on his own. She wasn't gonna risk having him trying to bite her hand while trying to feed him herself. Arthur gave her a dirty look.

"Well, I don't see you opening up a four-star restaurant anytime soon if this how you treat your customers," he said sarcastically. Hat Kid rolled her eyes in response. She was about to leave when she suddenly heard a noise that made her jump in surprise.

Both her and Arthur turned their heads and were met with a shocking sight: there was a large man on the other side of the window knocking repeatedly on the hatch. The man was bald, had grey eyes and had a black mustache. He was wearing a blue suit and pants, black shoes, and a chef's apron with 'Kiss the Cook' written in red on it. Both children were staring at him in disbelief. How did this guy get here? But more importantly, how was he able to breathe in space? Hat Kid looked back at Arthur with a glare, believing the man to be his friend coming to rescue him.

"Hey, don't look at me like that! I don't even know this guy!" Arthur said to defend himself.

Hat Kid simply let out a small "Hmpf!" in disbelief and went to the hatch to see what the big man wanted. The latter stopped knocking when he noticed Hat Kid and looked down at her with a serious and threatening expression.

"What is this? Flying boat? All boats need to pay toll in Mafia Town. Even in space! Mafia come in to collect," he spoke in third person. In third person? Seriously? Who even talks like that?

Then to both children's shock, the Mafia man grabbed the handle of the hatch and began to open it slightly. Panicking, Hat Kid jumped up and grabbed the handle to shut the hatch and prevent him from getting in. She managed to win this battle and she was able to close the hatch at the Mafia man's face.

"How rude!" the Mafia man said irritated as he began to float back in the empty space. Hat Kid sighed in relief, she hopped down and brushed her hands off. That should take care of the problem.

However, the Mafia man was not done yet. He was going to get in and collect whether the little girl liked it or not. He gritted his teeth and balled his hand into a fist, ready to force his way in just as Hat Kid turned her back on him. Arthur saw this and formed a panicked look.

"Hey hey, look out!" he tried to warn Hat Kid, but too late. Before she could react, the Mafia man swiftly charged at the window and broke it open. Of course, the vacuum of the space did its effect and pulled the Mafia man back to the hole he broke through.

The man only said "Uh oh..." before the strength of the vacuum shot him back into space and toward the nearby planet. Hat Kid, who was dangerously close to the hole, gasped and tried to run away from it but it was no use and she was sucked through the hole as well, letting out a scream as she did. Arthur was watching the entire scene in shock, and soon the vacuum of the space was starting to drag the chair he was tied up to with it.

"No no no no NO!" he shouted in panic as he was being pulled toward the hole. And then, he let out a scream as he was shot out in the empty space, sharing the same fate as his captor and the Mafia man.

**A/N: Hey everyone! First chapter of the story after the prologue! I hope you all enjoyed it. As mentioned in the chapter, Hat Kid is 9 in this fanfiction. I know some people tend to convert her age in alien age, but for me her age works the same as humans. Also yes, I'm planning to include both DLCs from the game in this story. Oh boy, this is gonna be one long story. Hope my motivation will hold on until the end... ^^;**

**Also, I will use this A/N section to answer a few reviews I've got. May or may not change in the future.**

**_To Linkone1:_ Thank you very much, I'm glad the story got your interest. I will do my best to continue updating this story and hopefully my motivation will hold until the end.**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** Indeed, your story 'Megacharge' has inspired me to do this. I've also read your A Hat in Time series. Loved all three stories. Keep up the good work! Also I'm glad you like the story. I hope not to disappoint everyone with my own. ^^**

_**To Ray Solren :**_** This story? I started posting it about four days ago. And don't worry, I'll do my best to continue it until the end. I'm aware that some stories are being made and then discontinued. I'll try to make sure this isn't one of them, but know it might take a while until it's finished and my motivation will likely play in it.**

**That's all for now, folks, I'll see you all in the next chapter! Have a good day!**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

This day got really off to a bad start for Hat Kid... First, she woke up to find out there was an intruder on board and had to capture him, then a weird man from the Mafia blew a hole into the hatch. Next, the vacuum of the space sucked her out of her own ship and now she was falling down right toward an unknown planet. But things were about to get a lot worse...

As Hat Kid was falling down, she saw from a distance the vault inside her ship that was containing her Time Pieces being forced open by the strength of the vacuum. Then all of the Time Pieces flew out of the spaceship – one passing inches away from her head – and down toward the planet below. As she looked back at her ship, she saw the lights going off, meaning that the power was out due to the lack of fuel. She put her hands on her hips and let out an irritated growl as she entered the atmosphere of the planet.

She looked down to see herself heading toward some sort of island. She was getting closer and closer to the ground, so she readied herself for the landing. She knew what she was doing though, she had done that more than once. Once she reached the ground, she perfectly landed on her feet and did a little pose, a big grin appearing on her face. She felt proud of her landing as it only seemed to get better and better each time.

She then heard a thud nearby and turned around to see the Mafia man from earlier passed out against the wall. Apparently, his landing didn't go as well as Hat Kid's. He wasn't dead but he got knocked out on the impact. Suddenly, Hat Kid heard a faint screaming coming from above that only seemed to grow louder by the second. She looked up and saw Arthur – still tied up to his chair – falling from the sky and landing right in front of her, his chair breaking on the impact.

"Ah dammit...!" Arthur winced in pain at the brutal landing. God, this hurt like hell... At least the chair had shielded him from the fall, so he wasn't injured or anything, and he was now free from the ties. He pushed the ropes off of him and slowly sat up, groaning as he did. He looked up and saw his cowboy hat floating down and landing right on his face. He picked it up and placed it back on his head. He stood up, brushing himself off in the process, and turned around to find Hat Kid staring at him. And boy, she was mad...

"Don't come back," she said in a cold tone. Arthur's eyes widened in shock and his jaw dropped. First words he heard from her and it was to tell him to go away?

_"Go away, kid! You're in the way!"_

_"Get lost, you freak! I don't want to see your ugly face ever again!"_

Arthur felt like tearing up any seconds at the sudden flashback. For years, the other kids and adults have been treating him like a liability, and now this little girl was doing the same to him. However, he managed to stop himself from crying. He wasn't gonna give her the satisfaction of seeing him break down on the spot. He gritted his teeth and tightened his fists. His face grew red and his anger was building up. And finally, it all exploded...

"**FINE!** I'm outta here then! I never wanted to be on your **stupid** spaceship anyway! Have fun getting back to it, jerk!" he shouted angrily before walking away into an alleyway.

Hat Kid would lie if she said she wasn't a bit shaken by Arthur's sudden outburst. She had seen people get mad before but this kid? It was something else... She shook her head. She had more important things to worry about right now, she had to find her Time Pieces before they fall in the wrong hands. They probably have been scattered all across the planet. Hat Kid brought her hands to her face and moaned in frustration. This was gonna take a lot of work to get them all back... so she had to get started immediately. She walked forward, taking a different path from Arthur.

* * *

Arthur couldn't believe what was happening to him. This day was just getting worse by the minute... It was probably not the _worst_ day he had, but it was definitely close. Now he was stranded on an unknown island filled with only men from the Mafia, so he figured he landed in Mafia Town. Seriously, what kind of town was that? He had never heard of this one back home. So the possibilities were: he had landed on a planet that wasn't his or he was sent into another dimension... or it was all just a dream. A bad one if it was... Arthur really hoped he was just dreaming, but all of this felt too real. He really had to find a way back home. Not gonna lie, he hated it... But at least, he knew the place and how things worked there. It was best to be in a place you knew what to expect rather than an unknown town where you don't have a clue about what's going to happen to you. He hated both anyway, so he might as well just go with the former. So far, all he knew was that a portal had brought him here, so maybe there was a way to find another to bring him back. For now, his objective was to find a way to get off this island as soon as possible. A boat could probably do the trick if he could find one...

Arthur had been walking through town for a moment, and as he came out of the corner of the alleyway he spotted three Mafia men chatting with each other in the middle of the street. He quickly hid behind the wall to avoid them. These guys weren't the smartest ones alive from what he had seen so far, but they sure didn't look friendly either. He figured it was best to stay clear of them... He took a peek to make sure they hadn't seen him, but thankfully they didn't. Not wanting to risk it, Arthur took another path into a different alleyway. Suddenly, a figure came out of nowhere and bumped into him, making him fall to the ground on his back.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" the figure said angrily. Startled, Arthur sat up and looked up to see who had bumped into him. It was a girl who seemed to be a year younger than him. She was wearing a red hooded cape, a rose pink tunic with a purple sash, purple pants, and green shoes. A medaillon with the shape of a star engraved into it was holding her cape closed. She had tawny eyes, blond hair styled into loose pigtails and she had a... mustache? What? Arthur sent her a glare.

"Me? How about YOU watch where you're going?!" he retorted angrily. The red-hooded girl only rolled her eyes at him in response. Arthur got up to his feet and patted the dust off of him. He was about to walk away when the girl spoke again.

"Hey, you're not one of those Mafia guys, are you?" she asked him. Arthur looked at her unamused. Really? What kind of question was that?

"Do I look like a eight-foot tall brute in a suit and a chef's apron that says 'Kiss my Butt'?" Arthur asked sarcastically.

"Fair enough," the mustached girl said with a shrug. Arthur rolled his eyes and walked past her. He didn't have time to be bothered by someone else. However, she stopped him once more.

"I've never seen you around before. You new in town?" she asked him curiously.

Arthur looked at her annoyed and said, "Yeah. So what?".

"Oh... Well, if you're here to go sightseeing, you... haven't really chosen the right place for it. I mean, you've seen all of those Mafia guys around, right?" she said curious as to why he was here. Arthur rolled his eyes again.

"Considering this town is filled with them, it's hard not to notice... They're one of the reasons I ended up here in the first place," Arthur said, catching the girl's interest.

"Oh, they gave you trouble too? They've also been a big pain in my butt for a while, so I've formed a little rebellion against them," she stated. She then rubbed her head nervously as she added, "Although I admit... I've been a one-member party this whole time. But hey, I've been doing okay so far!"

"A 'little rebellion'? What, you put an overdose of tabasco in their food?" Arthur asked jokingly.

"Something _waaaay_ worse than tabasco," the red-hooded girl said with an evil grin as she twirled her mustache a bit. Arthur stared at her. He really didn't want to know what she put in their food...

"Oh, by the way, I'm Mustache Girl!" she said enthusiastically as she extended her hand for Arthur to shake. Wait, her name was 'Mustache Girl'? How fitting...

"Arthur," the twelve-year-old boy answered, though he didn't shake her hand. Mustache Girl's smile dropped and she crossed her arms.

"You're not very friendly, are you?" Mustache Girl said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Are **you** friendly?" Arthur retorted, crossing his arms as well.

"Only if you're not with the Mafia," she said seriously.

"Fair enough," Arthur muttered. Mustache Girl nodded, then an enthusiastic grin appeared on her face.

"Hey, I have an idea! Wanna join my little rebellion against the Mafia? I already had someone else join me earlier, and with you around that'd make a party of three! So what do say?" she eagerly offered, putting her hands on her hips as she waited for his answer. Wait... She wanted _him_ to join her in her personal fight against the Mafia? Arthur was suprised by the sudden offer. However, he didn't want to get involved into this. It wasn't his fight and he had to find a way back home as quickly as possible. He shook his head.

"Sorry, Mustache Girl, but I don't have time for this. I wanna go back to where I'm from, so I have to find a boat or something and leave this island for good," he said.

"Ah yeah... About that... I think you're gonna have a hard time finding one..." Mustache Girl said as she rubbed the back of her head.

"What do you mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I mean, there are boats but, um... there are plenty of Mafia guys guarding them and they stop anyone from using them. Those who tried, well... they were catapulted away to the bottom of the sea with a cannon," she answered nervously. Arthur's eyes widened in shock. They... catapulted people away into the sea by using a cannon? That's just messed up!

"Fantastic..." he mumbled in an annoyed tone. There goes his probably only way to leave the island...

"Which is why you should stick with me! We could get rid of the Mafia together and then we'll get you a boat so you can leave," Mustache Girl said, attempting to convince Arthur to accept her offer. The twelve-year-old boy looked at her for a second before shaking his head no. Everytime he had trusted someone it always ended badly. He didn't want more people turning their back on him, so he decided it was best to stay alone.

"Look, I appreciate the offer but I'll be fine on my own. Now if you'll excuse me..." Arthur said as he began to walk away from the red-hooded girl.

"Alright. Well, if you change your mind, I won't be far," Mustache Girl said as the boy just continued to walk away from her. She was a bit disappointed by his decision, but she remained hopeful that he would come around eventually.

"Sure," Arthur said, waving his hand in a dismissive manner.

"Hey Arthur! Cool hat by the way!" the mustached girl complimented him. Arthur stopped and looked back at her, visibly surprised.

"Uhh yeah, thanks..." he said, unsure if she was being honest or just making fun of him. Honestly, he didn't want to know. Then he went on his way, leaving Mustache Girl alone in the alleyway.

_'I really need to find a way to convince this boy to join me. I'm certain he could be a big help in my fight against the Mafia,'_ she thought as she watched him leave. _'Speaking of which, it's time to go beat some of them up!'_ Then she ran off to find some Mafia men to beat up.

* * *

"A portal, a spaceship, a little girl with a hat, Mafia men who speak in third person, another girl with a mustache... What's next? A twitchy man with a mask?" Arthur muttered to himself.

**"Greetings, young one,"** a voice said from behind. Arthur froze in his tracks and turned around. When he did, he was met by a strange person wearing a red t-shirt tied around by a brown belt, purple baggy pants and brown boots. A purple cloak was covering their head, a mask was on their face and they were holding a wooden cane in their left hand. However, something seemed wrong with this person... Their body was twitchy and purple particles were emanating from it. It was very unsettling... Arthur was unamused. He had just described an appearance like theirs out of pure sarcasm a second ago, and suddenly they just show up out of nowhere.

"Figures... And who are you?" Arthur asked, clearly suspicious of the twitchy person.

**"Ah, my apologies. I am just a traveller. I come from a far away land, I have visited every corner of this planet and now I sell some of my discoveries. You may call me the Badge Seller,"** the person introduced themselves.

_'Badge Seller, huh? They really have strange names around here...'_ Arthur thought.

**"You seem lost. Is everything all right?"** the Badge Seller asked with concern.

"Just peachy..." Arthur simply said as he looked at the glitchy person curiously. Something about them felt... familiar somehow. "Uh, excuse me but... have we met somewhere before?" he carefully asked. The Badge Seller only smiled at him.

**"I meet a lot of people during my travels, but it is possible that we already met, young one,"** they answered. Arthur gave them a confused look. They had already met before? The twelve-year-old boy shook his head. No, that is impossible. He had never seen that person in his life before and if he did he would have remembered. This whole situation was getting unsettling for him.

"Okay...? Well, uh... I should probably get going," he said as he turned around and began to walk away.

**"I hope you will find what you are looking for, _Arthur Jones,_"** the Badge Seller suddenly said with a smile. The boy immediately froze when he heard his full name being pronounced.

"What?" Arthur quickly turned around, but when he did the Badge Seller was nowhere to be seen. Okay, now he was confused. Just who was this guy and how did they know his name? Arthur didn't like that one bit...

"Okay, this is getting weirder by the second... I'd better get out of here..." he muttered to himself and continued to walk on the path, only much faster this time. There was definitely something strange going on around here...

**A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. So yeah, you've heard Hat Kid's first words in it. In this fanfiction, Hat Kid will occasionally talk, but when she does it'll be short and straight to the point. Indeed, she is a silent protagonist and rarely speaks in the game, so I want to keep her that way. ****Also, as mentioned here, Mustache Girl is 11 here. So that clears all of the kids' ages for this fanfiction.**

**Alright, now it's time to answer to reviews:**

_**To Linkone1:**_** Thank you very much! I'm happy to know you like the story so far. I'm enjoying writing it at the moment so you can be sure there's gonna be updates very soon. ^^**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** Thank you! Your stories are good too! Also if you like dark things in stories, well... don't worry, you're in for a treat in this fanfic. ;)**

_**To R.S: **_**Thank you. And no, I'm not planning to add romance between Arthur and Hat Kid. There's gonna be a bond between them eventually but not this one.**

**Alright, that's all for today, folks! Have a good day!**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After his strange encounter with the Badge Seller, Arthur continued to walk through Mafia Town and managed to find the dock where a few boats were accosted. He used the ladders to get on the top of a nearby building to scout from afar, but he crouched to avoid being spotted by any of the Mafia men. And boy, that mustached girl from earlier wasn't kidding... The whole area was heavily guarded. Lots of Mafia men – some wearing hard hats – were walking and working around the place.

There was no way Arthur could sneak past them undetected, he would immediately be spotted and captured, and he surely didn't want to end up being used as a cannonball like those who had previously attempted to use the boats to leave. The twelve-year-old boy shuddered at the thought before he sighed. Clearly, getting on a boat wasn't an option at the moment... Perhaps he could wait until nightfall when most of the Mafia men would be home sleeping, it would probably be easier for him to sneak through and steal a boat. Until then, he was stuck on this Mafia-filled island.

Arthur climbed down the ladders and returned in the alleyways, looking for a good place to lie low until nightfall.

"I'm not going anywhere with you! Now let me go!" a voice screamed angrily. Arthur froze in his tracks when he heard that. Startled, he looked around to see who spoke but saw no one. It must have come from somewhere else, and it sounded like someone was in trouble.

"That voice..." Arthur whispered to himself. It was so familiar to him... He began to run toward the source of the voice, making sure to avoid the Mafia as he did. He eventually arrived in an open area that looked like some sort of market with booths, a tent, and a pile of TNT barrels in the center. Looking at said pile, he could see five Mafia men standing on it. Four of them were on each side of the pile and they were... dancing on it? Well, that didn't look safe. They must either be oblivious or plain stupid to be willing to do something like this... The fifth Mafia man was on top the pile and was holding someone in his left hand.

Arthur gasped. It was Mustache Girl! She was fidgeting in her captor's grip and was throwing various insults at him, ordering him to let her go immediately. The twelve-year-old boy frowned. He knew better than getting involved into this kind of situation, but he couldn't stand seeing the red-hooded girl getting bullied by the Mafia men. It reminded him of when other kids would gang up on him and no one around would come to help him, afraid of getting involved. No... He wasn't going to stoop to their level, he was going to help Mustache Girl somehow.

"I can't believe I'm about to do this..." Arthur muttered to himself. Taking a deep breathe, he began to walk toward the group of Mafia men. It took some great efforts for him to not start hyperventilating, but he managed to calm himself in time.

As he approached the group, one of the Mafia men dancing on the pile heard him coming and looked at him with a threatening look. Arthur immediately froze as he realized he didn't even bother making a plan to save Mustache Girl. He had just... walked into this mess. God, he could just be stupid sometimes... He soon found himself intimidated by the large man.

"What does little hat boy want? Mafia can't have boy witness when Mafia teaching lesson," the Mafia man said in a threatening manner.

"Arthur?" Mustache Girl said as she spotted him. She was surprised, yet happy to see him. Arthur took a deep breathe. He was here now, so he might as well just get on with it...

"Stop bullying the girl," he said sternly. The Mafia man sent the boy a glare in response.

"Little boy can't tell Mafia what to do," the large man said offended.

"Just let her go. She hasn't done anything wrong," Arthur said, trying to reason with them.

"Little mustached girl punched Mafia in the guts, so Mafia teach her lesson. Little boy should stay out of it," the Mafia goon said. However, the twelve-year-old boy stood his ground. He wasn't going to leave Mustache Girl to her fate out of simple cowardice.

"I said. Leave. The girl. Alone," Arthur said more firmly.

"Yeah! You tell 'em, Arthur!" Mustache Girl beamed as she raised a fist in the air to cheer on him. The Mafia man hopped down from the pile of TNT barrels and walked up to Arthur, looking down at him in an intimidating manner. The young boy placed his hands on his belt as a way to stand his ground and glared up at the man.

"Little boy should _**leave**_ before Mafia makes him," the man threatened, getting impatient.

Arthur refused to even budge, and then he did something no one had expected him to do. Forming a ball of saliva in his mouth, he spitted on the Mafia man's shoes. The other Mafia goons were all shocked, while the one who was spitted on looked down at his shoes in disgust, and Mustache Girl was silently beaming.

_'Ooohhhh, I like this kid!'_ the red-hooded girl thought with a huge grin on her face.

"Little boy spitted on Mafia's shoes! Now Mafia has to wash shoes," the Mafia goon said, clearly grossed out.

"Boss, what do we do with hat boy?" another Mafia man asked.

The Mafia goon who was holding Mustache Girl – the 'leader' – sent a glare at Arthur and said, "Throw him in barrel pile. Mafia will deal with him after teaching red mustached girl lesson." The Mafia man who had his shoes spitted on obeyed and grabbed Arthur by the collar of his t-shit.

"Hey! Let go of me!" Arthur shouted angrily. The Mafia goon ignored him and began to drag him up to the top of the pile. The young boy tried to punch the man, even clawing at his arm in an attempt to make him let go, but his efforts were in vain as the man kept a tight grip on the collar of his t-shirt. Once he reached the top, the goon lifted Arthur above a small hole in between the TNT barrels that seemed to be two barrels deep.

"No! **NO!**" Arthur screamed as the Mafia man dropped him, and he landed at the bottom on the hole. He tried to climb back up, but the width of the hole was too small for him to move properly.

"Me and my big mouth..." he muttered angrily to himself. Just what was he thinking? It was a dumb idea... And now he was stuck in this hole until the Mafia comes to punish him as well.

Suddenly, Arthur heard the Mafia men speak again, although he couldn't really figure out what they were saying. Then he heard some commotion, like a fight was going on.

He heard the leader shout: "**Enough!** Mafia won't bow to little girl! Prepare to feel Mafia's wrath!". Little girl? Did Mustache Girl manage to break free? Was she fighting them right now? However, it was soon proven to be false when Arthur saw the red-hooded girl being dropped in the same hole he was and landing right on top of him. Now he was crushed under her and it was very uncomfortable for him.

"Hey, get off me!" Arthur shouted angrily, trying to push Mustache Girl off of him.

"I'm trying!" she said as she struggled to get back up to the top.

The duo could hear some bouncing noises outside, and after a minute they stopped and they heard the leader jump off the pile of TNT barrels. Mustache Girl, being close enough to the top, used that momentum to climb out of the hole with Arthur's help.

Once she was out, Arthur heard her say, "Ah, you came right in time, fellow rebel squad!" Then he saw her lean over the exit of the hole, looking down at him.

"Arthur, that was awesome what you did! Spitting on this guy's shoes? That was sick!" Mustache Girl said enthusiastically as she extanded her hand down to help Arthur out of the hole.

"'Sick'? I got thrown in that darn hole and crushed under you for that!" Arthur said annoyed, grabbing the girl's hand.

"Aw, don't be such a whiner! Come on, the other member of my rebel squad got rid of the goons for us. Come meet her!" Mustache Girl said eagerly as she pulled Arthur out of the hole.

"And who is sh-" Arthur's question was cut short when his eyes landed on their 'savior'. The too-familiar purple hat on their head was enough to make his eye twitch in anger. It was Hat Kid with a Time Piece in her left hand. The small girl gasped when she saw Arthur.

"_**YOU?!**_" the two of them shouted before narrowing their eyes at each other in pure hatred.

"Of all the people, it had to be _you_!" Arthur spat angrily at Hat Kid. The purple-hatted girl only crossed her arms and glared at him in response. Mustache Girl was watching the scene confused.

"Wait, you two know each other?" the red-hooded girl asked in curiosity.

"That we do... Although I wish I didn't! If you expect me to make friends with her, you can forget about it!" Arthur said bitterly. Hat Kid rolled her eyes at him and let out a small "Hmpf!" in response.

"But she saved us, Arthur!" Mustache Girl attempted to reason with him.

"Well, that's fantastic. Let's give her a medal. That'll make my day," Arthur said sarcastically. Hat Kid blew a raspberry at him, making the boy roll his eyes.

"Come on, you guys! Just what happened between you two that made you hate each other like that?" Mustache Girl asked, attempting to defuse the argument.

"It's a long story..." Arthur simply said as he turned away from the two girls and crossed his arms in anger. Hat Kid nodded angrily, not wanting to get into details either. Mustache Girl looked between the two confused before she shrugged, deciding it was best to drop the topic for now.

The red-hooded girl turned her attention at Hat Kid and said, "Hey. You're alright, new kid. Do you have a name?".

The small girl remained silent though. She was a bit shy when it came to revealing personal informations such as her name, and she especially didn't want to say it with the twelve-year-old boy around.

"No? You shy? That's cool. You're a 'less talk, more fighting' kind of girl, I take it" Mustache Girl said before looking at the strange hourglass in Hat Kid's hand. "That _thing_ you grabbed there... are you collecting them? Because I know where there's more of them." The last statement caught the small girl's interest and she listened attentively.

"They've been raining from the sky ever since you arrived. I've seen the goons bring them to their headquarters _waaay_ up there," Mustache Girl explained, pointing up at the Mafia base supported in the air by a huge geyser. Hat Kid looked at the structure in awe. A floating base on a water geyser? That was impressive! Mustache Girl gasped as she suddenly had an idea.

"We should go up there and get your junk! It'll be fun! I'll take any opportunity that involves messing up the Mafia," the red-hooded girl said eagerly. Hat Kid was suprised Mustache Girl was willing to help her get her Time Pieces back. Well, she was probably offering that because she would get to fight the Mafia, but she wouldn't mind a little help. She only had retrieved two of her Time Pieces so far and there was still 54 more to go, so having someone helping her would be a plus.

"You with me, buddy?" Mustache Girl asked as she raised her hand up for a high-five. Hat Kid grinned and high-fived her back.

"Awesome!" Mustache Girl said with a huge grin on her face. She turned to look at Arthur who still had his back on them and asked," What about you, Arthur?". Arthur turned around to look at her.

"What?" the twelve-year-old boy asked with a perplexed look.

"Will you come along with us?" Mustache Girl asked. Hat Kid felt like her eyes were gonna pop out of her skull after she heard that. Having around the one who snuck on her ship and tried to steal her Time Pieces? No way! She pulled on Mustache Girl's arm and shook her head no, trying to change her new friend's mind.

"Come on, kid! This guy is alright. He tried to save me too before! I mean he failed but... you should've seen him spit on that dumbell's shoes! So cool!" Mustache Girl said excitedly. Hat Kid looked at Arthur skeptically. He tried to save Mustache Girl? Clearly, she wasn't too sure what to think of him right now. Arthur didn't like the way she was looking at him and crossed his arms as he sent her a glare.

"What? See something green, girl?" he asked in an irritated tone. Hat Kid frowed at him. He was so rude! She didn't like him at all...

Arthur sighed and said, "Look, Mustache Girl. I already told you, I don't want to get involved into this. It's your fight, not mine. So whatever you're planning, you leave me out of it."

"Come on, Arthur. It'll be easier with you. Besides, you said you wanted to get on a boat to leave, right?" said Mustache girl.

"Yeah?" Arthur asked as he raised an eyebrow at her. He had a feeling he already knew where this was getting at.

"If you help us, we'll make sure you get that boat in return. It's a good deal, right? Come on, Arthur. Please?" the red-hooded girl said in a pleading tone.

"Give me a break..." Arthur muttered, rubbing his eyes in annoyance. She was really persistent on this... Oh well, he had undoubtedly gotten the Mafia's attention on him after his little 'heroic' act, so it was probably best to stay with the girls for now. He sighed in defeat.

"Fine... I'll help, but you better not go back on your word. I'm expecting a way out of this island after this is over with," Arthur insisted.

"That's a promise!" Mustache Girl said cheerfully as she raised her hand up for a high-five with Arthur. Although Hat Kid was not pleased with this, but it was her friend's call so she decided to just deal with it.

"Sure..." Arthur muttered as he relucantly high-fived Mustache Girl back. He was really hoping she would keep her word. Every time people made promises to him, they were all broken at some point. He hoped this time would be different, though he seriously doubted it...

"Perfect! We have our squad! Now we need to plan our assault on the Mafia headquarters! Though we need a safe place to do that," Mustache Girl said, putting an hand on her chin in a thoughtful manner.

Hat Kid thought for a moment, then she had an idea. Her spaceship seemed like the safest place to plan everything out. No one would hear them talking, plus she had fixed and secured the hatch when she had returned on her spaceship with the first Time Piece she found before. That was definitely the right place for it! She pulled on Mustache Girl's arm to catch her attention.

"You know a place, kid?" Mustache Girl asked curiously. Hat Kid nodded and pointed up. The red-hooded girl looked up for a second and back at the purple-hatted girl.

"In the sky...?" Mustache Girl asked with a puzzled expression.

"The girl has a spaceship in space," Arthur explained. Mustache Girl looked at him as if he was crazy, then back at Hat Kid with a look that said 'Is that true?'. The younger girl nodded in a serious manner.

"So you're an alien?" Mustache Girl asked, blinking at her. Hat Kid nodded, although she didn't really like the term, but she was used to it by now.

"Crazy, I know..." Arthur muttered. Mustache Girl's surprised expression was turned into an excited one.

"Whoa! That's so awesome! Take us to it please!" she asked eagerly. With a smile, Hat Kid motioned for her to grab her hand and hold onto it. Mustache Girl was confused but she did as she was told. Although she didn't want to, Hat Kid motioned for Arthur to grab Mustache Girl's hand. The twelve-year-old boy relucantly did as he was told and grabbed the red-hooded girl's hand.

Hat Kid held her Time Piece up toward the sky, not before smiling mischeviously. The way she used to get back on her ship was quite surprising and frightening on the first try. That way, she could impress Mustache Girl and give a good scare to Arthur in the process.

"Wait, what are y-" Mustache Girl's question was cut short as the Time Piece in Had Kid's hand glowed brighter, and the next thing they knew the trio suddenly found themselves being projected at high speed toward the sky like a space rocket.

During the ride, Arthur and Mustache Girl were both screaming while Hat Kid was giggling like mad, amused by her way of travelling back to her ship and the high-pitched screams coming out from her two newfound allies. Soon, the blue sky was replaced by a star-filled void and Hat Kid's spaceship could be seen in the distance. They were getting closer and closer to it and it seemed like the trio was heading right toward the large window that gave view into the main room at high speed. Mustache Girl and Arthur screamed louder, feeling like they were going to faceplant right into that window. However, before the impact their vision turned white, and when it returned to normal the three children found themselves in the middle of the main room inside the spaceship.

Both Arthur and Mustache Girl were lying on the carpet and they were both a panting mess. Hat Kid couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the two as they were trying to catch their breath.

"Wow... That was... cool and all but... damn... Didn't expect that..." Mustache Girl said in between breathes.

"Never... again..." Arthur said, panting hard as well. Hat Kid only laughed harder, her arms wrapped around her sides, as the two children were trying to recover from that intense experience.

**A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you all enjoyed this new chapter! I had a lot of fun writing this one, especially during the part where Hat Kid shows her unusual way of getting back to her spaceship to Arthur and Mustache Girl. I was laughing internally. XD**

**And yeah, as you can see, Arthur and Hat Kid are on bad terms at the moment, but don't worry they'll learn to get along eventually.**

**Anyway, time for answers to reviews:**

_**To Linkone1:**_** No need to apologize if you don't review immediately. My story isn't going anywhere and I read the reviews at any time, so take all the time you need if you want to review. And know that I'm not forcing anyone to review if they don't want to, so don't worry about not posting a review on each chapter. Anyway, thank you. ^^**

_**To Shadow Necro:**_** Hat Kid believed Arthur was here to steal her Time Pieces, that's why she was hostile toward him. Don't worry, she'll eventually learn that Arthur is not as bad as she thinks. Anyway, thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying this story and I plan on keeping it going as I'm having a lot of fun writing it. ^^**

_**To Katoptris12: **_**You can say that again. Arthur is going to have to overcome his fears for this one, but that won't be for a while.**

**That's all for today, folks! Have a good day and see you in the next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Whoaaa... So this is your spaceship?"

Mustache Girl was looking around the main room of the ship in awe. Hat Kid nodded proudly, her hands on her hips. It was needless to say that the red-hooded girl was really impressed by the technology, the decorations and the robot vacuum cleaner present in here. Hat Kid wished she could make her visit the entire ship, but unfortunately all of the other rooms are locked due to the lack of power. She will only be able to unlock them progressively once she gets enough Time Pieces. At least, she can still access the kitchen so perhaps she could try to offer some food to her new friend.

"That's so awesome!" Mustache Girl said, jumping up and down in excitement. "Arthur! Isn't that impressive?"

"Yeah yeah, very impressive..." Arthur said uninterested. He didn't want to admit it but it was indeed very impressive. This is the kind of the thing that you would think you only see in the movies, but seeing something like that with your own eyes... it was definitely something else. He may have been in this spaceship once before, but now he had more time to properly look around and he sure found it impressive. Of course, Arthur would never say it out loud since it belonged to the same girl who had knocked him out and tied him up to a chair earlier. Hat Kid could see the boy's lack of enthusiasm, but she didn't care.

"Anyway, we're here to come up with a plan to get in the Mafia's headquarters. So how about we just get on with it?" Arthur reminded the still-excited mustached girl, snapping her out of her trance.

"Oh right! The plan! Just hang on a second!" Mustache Girl said as she darted away from her spot.

Arthur and Hat Kid gave each other a confused look as they watched her running around the main room and into the kitchen as well. She seemed like she was searching for something. A few minutes later, she came back with a moving chalkboard and two chairs that she proceeded to place at the corner of the room.

"Alright, fellow rebel squad! Take a seat!" Mustache Girl said enthusiastically, motioning to the two chairs facing the chalkboard. Arthur and Hat Kid shrugged and went to sit on their respective chair, giving the red-hooded girl all their attention.

"Are you both ready to take down some Mafia!? Let's do it! I'm _psyched_!" Mustache Girl said in an excited tone. She turned to the chalkboard and began to scribble on it with a piece of chalk she found. Once she was finished, she turned around to look at her friends and talk to them about her plan. However, her smile dropped when she saw that Arthur and Hat Kid have both made a distance between them and they were looking away from each other. It was clear that these two really disliked each other.

_'This isn't gonna do! They really need to learn to get along if I want this whole thing to work. Thankfully, I've got it all covered!'_ Mustache Girl thought, glancing between the two rivals.

"Ahem, so! Let's go over the plan! All assaults need a good plan, or it'll be a flop!" she said as she stood to the side so Arthur and Hat Kid could see the chalkboard. She had drawn a picture of what seemed to be the entrance of the Mafia's HQ with the words 'Master Plan' above it. One could notice a small figure drawn in red in front of the entrance with the word 'me' next to it that represented Mustache Girl.

She flipped the chalkboard, and the next picture almost sent both Arthur and Hat Kid through a heart attack. It was a drawing of Mustache Girl strangling one of the Mafia goons with his own tie.

"First, we strangle them! Choke 'em and watch 'em beg for mercy! That'll show them!" the red-hooded girl said with an evil grin as she rubbed her hands together. Arthur and Hat Kid formed a shocked expression on their face.

"Uhhh..." Arthur raised a finger to protest, but Mustache Girl cut him off.

"No, wait, strangling is too kind..." she said as she placed a hand on her chin in a thoughtful manner. Then she snapped her fingers as she suddenly had an idea. She erased the previous drawing with her sleeve and drew something else instead. However, this new picture was even worse than the previous one... It showed Mustache Girl crushing a Mafia man under her foot with blood spilling everywhere, an arrow pointing to the right to show another picture of what seemed to be a jar filled with blood and body parts.

"We smash them together into mush, and put their remain in a jar! _Then_ we sell the jar for pocket money! That'll be the ultimate salt in the wound!" Mustache Girl said in an almost crazed tone.

"The hell...?" Arthur whispered to himself with a disturbed expression. He had heard some crazy stuff coming from his dad and other people in the past, but this...? It was probably the worst thing he had ever heard... Just what had he gotten himself into? Hat Kid nodded in shock, reflecting the boy's thoughts. Even though the Mafia had been the reason she lost her Time Pieces and had attacked her, she didn't want to have to resort to _killing_ them in such manner. Just knocking them out seemed like enough to her.

Mustache Girl noticed her two allies's uneasiness and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. She cleared her throat and flipped the chalkboard to reveal a drawing of a Mafia man dressed differently from the others. Mustache Girl had added some insulting words such as 'bad', 'dumb', and 'probably smells' to describe him. Arthur and Hat Kid assumed that it was probably the boss of the Mafia.

"But first, we have to make it through their Mafia HQ. Once we find and dethrone the Mafia Boss, the rest will follow. Then our mush and jar party will be no problem!" the red-hooded girl explained enthusiastically.

"Sounds like a plan, but is the... 'mush and jar' thingy really necessary?" Arthur asked, showing disgust at the last statement. Hat Kid nodded in agreement with him, even though it was weird for her to agree with her enemy.

"Yup!" Mustache Girl said with a firm nod.

"Figures..." Arthur muttered. He had a feeling he wouldn't really get a say in this. He secretly hoped he wouldn't have to witness or even be a part of the massacre that the mustached girl had planned. Besides, all that mattered to him was to get on a boat and leave Mafia Town for good. So as soon as the Mafia Boss would be dealt with, he would have to slip away and find that boat quickly. Hat Kid was also disappointed with the answer, but as long as she retrieved her Time Pieces it was all that mattered.

"We've gotta get you both geared up though!" Mustache Girl said before flipping the chalkboard again, showing a drawing of Hat Kid's face frowning. This caused Arthur to snort, amused by the way Mustache Girl had drawn the purple-hatted girl's expression. Hat Kid heard him and gave him a death glare.

"Kid, your hat is... basic, and we don't do basic in this gang!" Mustache Girl said before flipping the chalkboard again, this time showing the drawing of a yarn with an arrow pointing at Hat Kid's hat. "Yarn can be found around Mafia Town and used to stitch new hats if you're crafty. I've collected one for you!".

Mustache Girl pulled out a red and white yarn with wings on it and tossed it at Hat Kid who happily caught it. She already had collected one from a red vault she found in the alleyway after she landed in Mafia Town. With this one, she had enough to stitch a new hat. She pulled out her umbrella and the other yarn. She tossed both yarns in the air and made quick movements with her umbrella on it, forming puffs of smoke around them.

"One, two... Presto!" Hat Kid said with a grin as she stopped her motion and caught the new hat in her hand. It was red and had two white wings on each side of it. Arthur looked at her dumbfounded. How did she just do that with her umbrella? Is there some sort of magic going on here?

Hat Kid removed her purple top hat from her head and replaced it with the new hat she had stitched. She could feel a wave of energy hit her and she suddenly felt like running around. So she did, and boy she was running so fast! This new hat must be giving her the ability to run faster.

"Weeeee!" Hat Kid exclaimed cheerfully as she continued running around at fast speed, going up to the second level and back down to the first one with a high jump. She already knew how to name this hat: the 'Sprint Hat'. Arthur formed an unamused expression. Yep, there was definitely some magic involved with this thing. Whatever is this place that the portal had taken him, it definitely defied the logic and physics laws he always knew until now.

Hat Kid went to sit back on her chair and changed her Sprint Hat for her regular hat again. As much as she loved this new hat's ability, she still prefered her purple top hat. She had it ever since she was 4 and it was her all-time favorite, she doesn't see herself changing it anytime soon. Plus, it helped her detect the Time Pieces on every planet she visited, it was her top hat's special ability. She will only use the Sprint Hat when she needs to.

"Perfect! Just know that you need more yarn for some hats than others. I guess being creative isn't free, huh? So keep an eye out for yarn!" Mustache Girl explained before she turned her attention to Arthur.

"Now as for you, Arthur..." The red-hooded girl said as she flipped the chalkboard to reveal a drawing of the twelve-year-old boy's face and a sword next to it. "You're gonna need a weapon to defend yourself, or else you're gonna end up in another Mafia-made hole like when you tried to save me before. No offense."

"None taken..." Arthur grumbled as Hat Kid tried her best to suppress a laugh. The young boy then noticed that Mustache Girl had drawn his face with a grumpy expression. "Should I take offense for the expression you drew for my face though?" he asked unamused.

"Well, as far as I've known you, you've always had a sour face, so..." Mustache Girl said with a teasing smirk. Hat Kid giggled while Arthur rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Very funny. So what? Am I gonna get a sword or something?" the twelve-year-old boy asked, looking at the drawing of the sword on the chalkboard.

"No, but I found _this_ behind some barrels in town," Mustache Girl said as she pulled out a crowbar and handed it to Arthur. The latter took it and felt the weapon's weight in his hands.

"A crowbar? Do I get to bash the kid's skull with it?" Arthur asked jokingly, motioning his head to Hat Kid. In response, the purple-hatted child waved her umbrella at him in a threatening manner.

"There'll be plenty of Mafia goon's skulls to bash with, Arthur," Mustache Girl retorted with a smirk.

"If you say so," Arthur simply said, putting the crowbar away. Mustache Girl flipped the chalkboard one last time to show a drawing of herself giving a thumbs-up.

"Alright! Now you're both killing machines! Let's go get them!" the red-hooded girl beamed as she raised a fist in the air. Arthur and Hat Kid both nodded and got up from their chair.

With their plan set, the trio walked over to the hatch, not before noticing dark clouds surounding Mafia Town as they looked down at the planet below.

"Oh, looks like there's a big storm going on down there! If you guys have raincoats or something, you should definitely put them on before we go! I don't have any but I'm fine without it," said Mustache Girl. Hat Kid nodded and ran off to search for her raincoat.

"What about you, Arthur?" Mustache Girl asked the young boy.

"I don't have a raincoat, but I don't mind," Arthur simply answered. As a matter of fact, he loved the rain. He always found it southing and the feeling of water drops on his skin always made him feel at peace. It always helped him clear his mind from all the bad and frustrating events he had during the day. And right now, he could definitely use that.

"A rain person, huh? That's fine! I like rain too, you know!" the red-hooded girl said with a smile. Arthur was surprised to hear her say that. Usually, the people he knew didn't like rain and prefered a fully sun day. It sure was strange to hear someone else say they like rain too. He nodded, unsure what to make of it.

About two minutes later, Hat Kid came back with her yellow raincoat on. She had just finished buttoning it as she joined her friend and her enemy-turned-ally.

"You're done? Good. Can we go now? This robot has been annoying me for the past two minutes already," Arthur said unamused. Indeed, Rumbi was once again trying to 'attack' the twelve-year-old boy by bumping into his feet. And although it still didn't hurt him, getting his feet repeatedly bumped in was clearly irritating him. The two girls giggled at the sight, making Arthur roll his eyes. Hat Kid then motioned for Rumbi to go back to cleaning the main room. The small vacuum robot obeyed with a happy face.

"Alright! Umm... How do we get down safely, kid?" Mustache Girl asked Hat Kid. The purple-hatted girl waved her umbrella a little and opened it to show what she meant.

"Oh, you open your umbrella before the impact? That's cool! I mean, I expected something more like a parachute, but still cool," Mustache Girl said with a smile. Hat Kid nodded.

The small child motioned for Mustache Girl to grab her hand and for Arthur to grab the red-hooded girl's other hand just like before. The two children did as they were told, then Hat Kid opened the hatch and jumped out of the spaceship with Mustache Girl and Arthur following suit.

* * *

As soon as they reached the ground of Mafia Town, the trio could feel the rain pouring on them. The landing went well, although Arthur's fear of heights had kicked in during the fall and he had started to hyperventilate after landing, earning a concerned expression from the two girls – even Hat Kid despite her rivalry with him. However, Arthur assured them it was nothing and told them not to worry. Though he only said that because he didn't want them to make fun of him for being afraid of heights. After he was able to calm down, the trio decided to get back to business.

"Alright! So here's what we're gonna do! You two head around town and try to find some jars to put all the Mafia mush in. In the meantime, I'm gonna see if I can get the cannon working!" Mustache Girl said.

"The cannon?!" Arthur half-shouted in confusion and shock.

"Yeah! That's the only way to get to the Mafia HQ," Mustache Girl stated.

"So no stairs then..." Arthur muttered. These Mafia goons must be really stupid to use such a way to get to their main base...

"Unfortunately, no. So I'm gonna work on that and you two go get those jars for our plan!" said Mustache Girl.

"Now hang on a sec! You want me and _**her**_ to work together?!" Arthur asked angrily as he pointed at Hat Kid. The purple-hatted girl didn't like the idea either and crossed her arms angrily.

"Come on, you two! I need you to try and get along on this one!" Mustache Girl pleaded.

"No! I ain't teaming up with her! **Screw that!** Let her get the jars on her own!" Arthur spat angrily. Hat Kid let out a small "Hmpf!" angrily as she turned away from him.

"Guys, please! I really want this thing to work! And for that, I need you two to get over yourselves and work together! Besides, what's best other than working together to solve conflicts, right?" Mustache Girl said as she put her hands on her hips.

"We'll kill each other before we even get a chance to make up..." Arthur muttered angrily.

"Come on, guys... Do it for me, please?" Mustache Girl said in a pleading tone. Arthur and Hat Kid both sighed in defeat.

"Fine... But that doesn't make me okay with it!" Arthur stated firmly. Hat Kid nodded with a frown, reflecting her rival's thought.

"That'll do! Alright! I'm gonna get to work! I'll see you guys later then!" Mustache Girl said before running off, leaving Arthur and Hat Kid alone.

The two children gave each other the nastiest look they could give. If looks could kill, the both of them would be in the ground already.

"You listen to me now, _**kid**_... I'll only say it once. We are working together on this for now... But as soon as this whole thing is over, I'm getting on a boat and I'm getting the heck out of here... and I hope to never see you. **Ever. Again...** Am I clear?" Arthur said slowly and through gritted teeth.

"Deal," Hat Kid said with a serious and firm expression.

"Deal indeed..." Arthur muttered angrily.

With that said, the duo, forced to work together against their will, began to make their way around town under the big storm. It seemed like trying to get along was going to be the hardest thing both Arthur and Hat Kid were going to do...

**A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! So yeah, there's a bit of tension at the end of it... But don't worry, things will get better eventually. After all, you don't exactly expect conflicts to be just over with a finger snap. Also, during my gameplay in A Hat in Time, I like to keep Hat Kid's default hat on since it's her main appearance. I only use the other hats when I need their abilities. Otherwise, you'll always see my Hat Kid run around with her regular hat on and that applies to this story as well.**

**Alright! Time to answer some reviews!**

_**To Linkone1:**_** Thank you, I really appreciate you wanting to review on every chapter. It helps me to stay motivated for this story. So thank you. ^^**

_**To Shadow Necro:**_** Well, Arthur finally got his weapon in this chapter. It's not a revolver, but a crowbar is still a good weapon. I don't know why I imagined this weapon for Arthur. (Probably a mod featuring a crowbar I saw for A Hat in Time. ^^;)**

_**To Maoshin:**_** Welp, your review got deleted somehow, but I still got it in my email box, so I'm gonna answer it. Anyway, thank you! I'm really glad you're enjoying this story so far. It really helps me to stay motivated knowing that people like my fanfic so far. ^^**

**That's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The streets of Mafia Town looked really peaceful under the storm. That was mainly because most of the Mafia men were home to get out of the rain and it was also close to nightfall. Some Mafia goons were still outside to work and keep an eye around town, though they were surprisingly more calm than usual. Among the Mafia and the birds wandering around on the island, some raccoons in pajamas were already sleeping. A few of them were even strangely floating in the air because of the bubble that escaped their nose as they snored.

As they were making their way around town, Arthur and Hat Kid didn't speak a word nor looked at each other. All they wanted was to get in the Mafia's headquarters and deal with the Mafia Boss, so the two could go their separate way. But first, they had to wait for Mustache Girl to finish her work with the cannon so they could reach the HQ on top of the geyser. In the meantime, they were tasked with finding jars around town for Mustache Girl's 'jar and mush' plan.

However, none of the two children really wanted to go look around for jars. They were against the idea of the massacre that Mustache Girl had planned. At least it was _one_ thing that Arthur and Hat Kid agreed on.

Instead of looking for jars, Hat Kid had decided to use the time she had to look for any Time Pieces that may be left in Mafia Town. She closed her eyes and used her top hat to focus. To her luck, she could feel the presence of a Time Piece nearby. As she opened her eyes again, she came to the conclusion that it was on top of the building who had a star-filled pillar with a golden ball on top of it, next to the construction site. Nodding firmly, she began to make her toward it.

Arthur didn't question where she was going and simply followed her. He honestly didn't care as long as they were killing time. Besides, as soon as they take down the Mafia Boss and retrieve whatever Hat Kid came for, he would get on a boat and leave this island for good. This town had only been a source of trouble for him ever since he arrived, he wanted away from it as soon as possible.

Hat Kid climbed the ladders to get on top of the buildings and try to reach the place where her Time Piece was, with Arthur following close behind. Eventually, the two stopped as there was a huge gap between the building they were on and the next one. Only a wireline seemed to provide way to the next building.

Without hesitation, Hat Kid jumped on the wireline and made her way across, easily able to keep her balance the whole time. Arthur watched her dumbfounded. She had just crossed a **damn** tightrope with such confidence and ease, like she had done that her whole life! There was something about this kid that he didn't know about... Once Hat Kid reached the other side, she turned around and motioned for Arthur to cross – although relucantly. However, as the twelve-year-old boy looked at the huge gap below him, he began to grow nervous. It was so high up... How was he gonna cross that without falling to his death, especially since he had never tried to cross a wireline before? Not to mention he had a fear of heights...

"Uhh... I'm not sure about that, kid... How about you go on ahead and... I'll go find another way," Arthur suggested nervously. Hat Kid huffed in frustration. She would have left him behind but she remembered they had promised Mustache Girl to try and work together, and Hat Kid **always** respected her promises. But she didn't want to wait for him to take an alternative route either, it would make her waste too much time. She tried to think of a way to get Arthur to cross, and then she had an idea that made her smirk mischeviously.

She gave the twelve-year-old boy a smug look and said, "Chicken!" out loud. Arthur could feel his eye twitch right after she said that.

"What did you just call me?!" Arthur shouted in an irritated tone. He hated when people called him a 'chicken'. It made him feel like a coward... and he did feel that way every time he couldn't bring himself to just end his pathetic excuse of a life every time he had the chance. He looked back at the wireline nervously, but he was determined nonetheless. Screw this! If she wanted to play that game with him, then he will as well!

"Can't believe I'm about to do this..." he muttered annoyed. He hesitantly placed a foot on the wireline, then the other one. He froze for a moment, his arms and body moving around a little as he tried to stabilize himself on the tightrope.

Eventually, he was able to find the right balance and his body stopped moving. He began to slowly move forward on the tightrope, making sure to remain balanced on it. So far so good, he was making progress. Slowly but surely... A bit too slowly to Hat Kid's opinion who tapped her foot on the ground impatiently.

Arthur was doing good so far. However, when he was halfway from making it to the other side, he made a wrong move and he suddenly felt himself losing balance quickly. He panicked as his arms moved around frantically. He tried his hardest to stabilize himself on the tightrope again but he failed to do so, and the following second... he lost his footing on the wireline.

"No **NO! **_**AAHHH!**_" Arthur screamed as he began to fall. Fortunately, by instinct, he was able to grab onto the wireline with one of his hand before he could fall to his death in the street below. His hat fell off his head but he quickly caught it with his other hand.

Upon seeing that, Hat Kid began to panic. Sure, she may not like him but that didn't mean she wanted him to fall to his death! She was about to go over and help him. However, before she could react, Arthur quickly put his hat back on his head and began to use his hands to move along the tightrope, like a monkey would move on a vine. Once he reached the other side, he quickly grabbed the edge of the rooftop and used all of his strength to pull himself up on the surface. Once he was safe, Arthur fell on his back and breathed heavily, facing the raining sky. Damn, that was close... It just comes to show that adrenaline can make you do crazy stuff and save your life sometimes.

Hat Kid sighed in relief. However, as she watched the young boy recover, she felt a pang of guilt hit her. Perhaps she went a bit too far by taunting him into crossing the wireline. Arthur wasn't as strong and agile as she was, so of course he would have had a lot of trouble crossing the tightrope. But she hadn't considered that before. He almost died because of her... Before she could apologize, Arthur – who had managed to calm down – shot her a nasty look that reflected pure rage.

"There! You happy now?! I made it across! _**Barely!**_" he shouted angrily. Hat Kid flinched at his outburst. She had already seen him snap earlier when she had told him to never come back on her ship, but this time... it was way worse. It was needless to say he was really enraged. She didn't blame him though... Arthur eventually calmed down and got up to his feet.

"Let's just go already! And I don't want to hear anything from you," the twelve-year-old boy said angrily as he crossed his arms, waiting for her to start walking. Hat Kid sighed sadly and shook her head. Now she felt even worse after his outburst... but she didn't have time to dwell on that. She had a Time Piece to find. She began to head toward the building with the star-filled pillar again. Arthur followed her, though he kept his distances with her.

* * *

After climbing ladders and walking on some more rooftops, the two children finally reached the top of the building where Hat Kid had spotted the Time Piece. The purple-hatted girl looked around to see where it was and her eyes landed on a Mafia man who was dressed differently from the others. The goon had green goggles. His blue suit was open, revealing a green and red shirt under it. He was wearing a red bow tie instead of a regular tie, and he had yellow and white sneakers. He seemed extremely nervous as he examined a certain object in his hand.

Hat Kid gasped, realizing that it was her Time Piece he had in his hand. Arthur saw it as well and finally realized it was the reason why Hat Kid wanted to come up here in the first place. Although he didn't know the true name or purpose of this object, he immediately recognized it for a different reason.

_'That hourglass... It looks exactly like the one I found in my bedroom!'_ the twelve-years-old thought with a shocked look on his face. That hourglass was what caused the portal that brought him here to appear after he accidentally broke it. So... perhaps if he broke one of those again, maybe another portal will appear and take him home? Arthur shook his head. No... he couldn't do that. For all he knew, it could create a portal that would take him to someplace else he didn't know about. Or it could create a catastrophe or something he didn't expect to happen. Plus, it looked like it belonged to Hat Kid and, even though he hated her, he still respected private property. No, he will figure out another way to go home.

Hat Kid took a step forward to ask the Mafia man to give her the Time Piece. However, she didn't notice the puddle of mud before her. She slipped and fell face first in the mud. She let out a frustrated groan and lifted herself up a little. Arthur saw that she was now entirely covered in mud and couldn't but snort upon seeing her in that state.

"You just took yourself a regular mud bath, kid," Arthur joked with a chuckle. Hat Kid glared at him and got up to her feet. She took a look at herself and saw that she was all covered in mud. Great... Now she was going to have to take a shower when going back to her spaceship.

"What the... HUH?!" a voice suddenly said.

Hearing the voice, Arthur and Hat Kid turned their head to see that the nervous Mafia man had spotted them. However, instead of attacking them the goon looked at Hat Kid frightened.

"It's... IT'S SLIMY SPACE ALIEN!" the nervous Mafia goon screamed in a panicked tone. Hat Kid looked at him confused. 'Slimy space alien'? Where? She looked around but saw no one else except Arthur and the Mafia man himself. Then looking back at herself, she realized that _SHE_ was the alien in question.

"MAFIA SAW SPACESHIP! MAFIA KNEW ALL ALONG! MAFIA IS BEING INVADED BY ALIENS!" the Mafia man screamed in fear. Hat Kid smiled mischeviously as she had an idea. From this situation, not only she could convince the goon to hand over her Time Piece, but she could also have a bit of fun with him as well. She then put her arms up in a zombie-like manner and began making 'scary' moans, taking a step toward the frightened man.

"AHHH!" the Mafia man screamed as he suddenly took off. He jumped over a large gap and landed on a wooden platform to escape Hat Kid. The purple-hatted girl giggled and ran after the Mafia man, making a large jump to get across and successfully landing on the platform.

Arthur was watching the chase confused. What the heck just happened now? He wanted to go after them, but then saw the large gap before the wooden platform. After the little incident that occured on the wireline earlier, he didn't want to risk putting himself in danger again with a jump he probably couldn't make. This made him wonder how Hat Kid and the Mafia man were even able to jump _that_ far. The twelve-year-old boy shrugged. It looked like he was gonna have to wait here for Hat Kid to return.

Hat Kid chased the Mafia man for a while, going on top of crates, avoiding a sleeping raccoon, jumping to other wooden platforms, onto a large Mafia banner, more platforms and eventually the last one where the Mafia man reached a dead end. The latter turned around to face the 'slimy space alien'. Cornered and out of breathe, he got on his knees and started begging for his life.

"Leave Mafia alone, you monster!" the scared Mafia goon begged. Hat Kid only smirked and took a step closer to him. Sweat started dripping from the Mafia man's forehead. Thinking of a way to get the alien to leave him alone, the goon looked at the glowing hourglass in his hand.

"H-Here, if Mafia give you this, will you go away?" he asked nervously, handing out the Time Piece to her. Hat Kid smiled and took it.

"Thank you!" the purple-hatted girl said happily. She then took off, giggling like mad. That was really fun! The Mafia goon was confused by this, but he didn't question it. At least, he was able to get the alien off his case.

Climbing down the platforms, Hat Kid – with the Time Piece in her hands – made her way back to the top of the building where Arthur was waiting for her. He was leaning against the pillar and he had his hands resting on his belt.

"You know, I've never heard a man squeal so much before," he stated jokingly, causing Hat Kid to giggle. Arthur's smile dropped and he asked, "So you got that hourglass of yours?". Hat Kid nodded.

"What are those anyway? I know for a fact they're no ordinary hourglasses. So what are they?" Arthur asked curiously. He wanted to learn about these magical hourglasses. One of them had brought him here, so if he learned more about them, perhaps he could figure out a way to summon a portal to take him back home without having to break one of the hourglasses.

Hat Kid was suprised to hear him ask this question. She had figured he would know what they were, considering she believed he had snuck on her ship to steal the Time Pieces when they first met. Had she guessed wrong about his intentions? Did he really have no clue about what Time Pieces were? And if not, why was he on her spaceship in the first place? She shook her head. No... it was a trick! He was trying to trick her into trusting him so he could steal her Time Pieces when she least expected it. Besides, she knew about the side effect that occured if someone other than herself and her people learned about the true power of the Time Pieces. She wasn't going to take that risk! She pulled her Time Piece back protectively and glared at him. Arthur noticed the sudden hostile behavior of his enemy and frowned at her.

"**Fine then!** Keep your stupid hourglass! I don't care! They've been nothing but _**trouble**_ for me so far anyway! It's because of one of those things that I'm stuck here now! Away from home!" he spat angrily, making Hat Kid flinch. Arthur then formed a glum look on his face and turned away from the purple-hatted child.

"It doesn't matter anyway. For all I know, I'll be stuck in this hellhole forever with no way to return home... So you just go back to your spaceship with your thing if you want. Me? I need some peace and quiet..." Arthur said in a depressed tone. Hat Kid stared at him, shocked by what he just said. She really didn't expect that kind of answer... The twelve-year-old boy noticed she still wasn't budging, so he turned around to look her dead in the eye.

"Are you deaf?! I said I wanted some space! So **leave. Me. ALONE!**" he shouted angrily. Hat Kid was once again taken aback by his outburst. Not wanting to anger the young boy any further, she held her Time Piece up toward the sky. It glowed brighter and Hat Kid flew up toward the sky, vanishing behind the stormy clouds.

Arthur huffed in frustration. This kid was really starting to get on his nerves... He sighed and climbed down the building. Once he made it back to the streets, he began to walk around aimlessly, his hands in the pockets of his soaked jeans. He was lost in thoughts and in a depressed mood. He was thinking about his plan on getting on a boat. Sure, it would get him away from Mafia Town and probably Hat Kid at the same time but... would it get him any closer from finding a way back home? Probably not... Back when he first appeared on Hat Kid's spaceship, he saw that the planet looked... different from the Earth he knew and lived on. Perhaps there was no way of returning home... Maybe he was going to be stuck on this unknown planet until he dies.

Arthur felt tears starting to build up in his eyes. He felt lost and hopeless. It was no new feeling for him though, he had been feeling that way for years and he doesn't see it getting any better anytime soon. He then shook his head and quickly wiped the tears off his eyes. He didn't want to break down now... If someone saw him do that, they would just make fun of him, like people always did in his world. He had to remain strong to avoid this kind of humiliation again.

"Hi there, Arthur!" a familiar voice suddenly said. Startled, the twelve-year-old boy looked around frantically but saw no one in the street. "Up here, you dummy!" the voice said again from above. Arthur looked up and saw Mustache Girl sitting at the edge of the roof of a small house, her legs dangling in the air.

"Mustache Girl," Arthur greeted blankly. Said girl hopped down and landed on her feet right in front of Arthur.

"You know, I always see you walking around with that sour face of yours. You ever considered adding a smile to your face dictionary?" Mustache Girl said teasingly with a smirk, putting her hands on her hips.

"Is your _mustache_ a part of your face dictionary?" Arthur retorted in an unamused tone. Mustache Girl huffed in response.

"Of course it is! That's my signature in case you didn't know! Pretty much like your hat, _cowboy_!" the red-hooded girl said proudly, twirling her mustache a little. Arthur rolled his eyes at her.

"If you say so. So I reckon you got the cannon working then?" Arthur asked.

"Yup! I just came to fetch you and the other kid and see how you were doing with the jar task," Mustache Girl said with a grin. Arthur's eyes widened. That's right, he and Hat Kid were tasked with finding jars for the mustached girl's plan, but they got sidetracked in the process and didn't find any jars. Not that they wanted to find those jars anyway... He would have to come up with an excuse for it. However, before he could speak up, Mustache Girl noticed Hat Kid wasn't around and looked at Arthur questionally.

"Hey, where's the other kid?" she asked.

"Oh uh... We decided to split up and, uhh, search for jars on each side of town to be more... efficient," Arthur lied. He knew he wasn't very good when it came to lying, but something told him it was best to not tell her the truth about the magical hourglasses that Hat Kid was collecting or how he ended up in this world.

Mustache Girl frowned, not because she was suspicious. She actually bought the lie, but the real reason was she had asked him and Hat Kid to work together. And yet they went against her order and decided to split up instead of staying together. The red-hooded girl sighed. They really needed to learn to get along, otherwise their rivalry was going to jeopardize her plan as they would get in each other's way and get themselves killed. That would throw away her possibly only chance to get rid of the Mafia once and for all. It looked like she was going to have to get that through their freaking skulls somehow.

Mustache Girl knew a way, but that would mean revealing something more... _personal_ to them. Arthur seemed like an okay guy though, despite acting sour all the time. She was certain he would understand, so she might as well start with him since he was here.

"I want to show you something. Come with me," she said seriously, motioning for Arthur to follow her as she walked away.

Arthur looked at her puzzled, but he didn't question her and followed the red-hooded girl anyway. What did she want to show him?

**A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! So... I was originally going to make this chapter longer, but with all the stuff I was writing, I figured it would be_ too_ long. And while I didn't mind that, the problem came about the re-reading part. It's the part I dislike the most, it's long and boring, and it's just about me making corrections, adding/replacing words, eventually add/reformulate a sentence, etc. It's the kind of thing that would sap my motivation away if I were to make chapters too long. Which is why I make sure to write chapters long enough, but not too long either. Works for me so far, so I'm gonna continue like that. Good news is I've already started writing the two next scenes, so the next chapter should be coming quicker than usual! ...If nothing goes wrong in the meantime of course.**

**Anyway, time to answer reviews. So some of them got deleted somehow. Just know that it wasn't my doing. I've turned on the option to always accept reviews, so hopefully that should fix it. I hope... However, fear not! I've got all of your reviews in my email box, so I'll still be able to answer them. Alright, let's do it!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Yup, I've been feeling motivated to write that story and I still am. That's why I've been updating so quickly. Anyway, Arthur does prefer climbing stairs than flying up using a cannon. Remember that he has anxiety and fear of heights, combined with the fact that he would have to go to the Mafia HQ by using a cannon. I mean, a FRICKING cannon! Not really the safest way to go up... Personally I'd prefer using an elevator for that matter. But yeah, that's why Arthur prefers stairs.**

_**To Linkone1: **_**Indeed, I've written Mustache Girl to be more 'nice'. But that's because she feels like the rivalry between Arthur and Hat Kid would get them in trouble and it would cause her plan to fall apart, as revealed in this chapter. More will be told in the next one as well. Also another reason is I think Mustache Girl is not as bad as people think she is. I mean, if you remember the purple Time Rift in the attic of Hat Kid's spaceship, she lost her home to the Mafia. When going through some tough stuff, even the nicest people can become harsh. Take Arthur as an example, in the prologue, it was mentioned that he used to be nice and cheerful, but he went through some rough stuff and now he acts cold, aggressive and snarky. So I think Mustache Girl deserves a second chance. Plus, I like her (not in a romantic way, I'd like to be precise. I mean, I'm way too old for her anyway. Ahem, jokes aside. ^^;).**

_**To Maoshin: **_**Glad you're excited for that story, mon ami. ^^ (Yeah, big revelation... I'm French. Though I prefer writing my stories in english for a larger audience. Plus, I like this language better than mine.)**

_**To Shadow Necro:**_** I'm... not really sure to understand what you mean. Could you possibly reformulate, please?**

_**To Mr. Mega1423: You'll soon find out. Anyway, I've never watched the Avengers before, but I understand the joke nonetheless. ;) I'm really glad you're enjoying this fanfiction. Your stories on A Hat in Time are one of main reasons I'm writing this, they really inspired me to do this. So I'm gonna make sure to make it worth of your time. :)**_

_**That's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**_


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Mustache Girl took Arthur to higher parts of Mafia Town. They made their way to an abandoned house located on top of a building. There was a blue plate with the number '1110' above the door. The two children stopped in front of it. Looking at the abandoned house, there was a hole in the wall, another two on the roof, and the door was boarded as well.

"Let's go inside..." Mustache Girl said in a sad tone before walking inside through the hole in the wall. Arthur stared at her, surprised to hear the usually-energetic mustached girl speak so glumly. Nonetheless, he did as he was told and followed her in.

After going inside, Arthur had a look of horror on his face as he looked around the place. There was two more holes on the other wall, a fire pit in the middle of the room, and there were broken decorations lying around on the floor. The whole house had been trashed! What the heck just happened here?

"What is this place?" Arthur asked, a shocked expression clearly visible on his face.

"This used to be my house..." Mustache Girl said in a depressed tone.

"...Your house?" Arthur asked her with widened eyes. The red-hooded girl nodded sadly.

Mustache Girl took a deep breathe and began to explain, "Ever since I was born, I was living here with my family. I loved the house, I loved my family, and I loved this town. I was friends with most of the people here. I had such a great life...".

Arthur watched her intently as she began to tell her story. Having a family and friends who loved you? He wished he had that... Well, there was his mom and... another person he knew but... The twelve-year-old boy shook his head and watched as Mustache Girl's expression turned darker, and she clenched her fists.

"Then about a year ago, the Mafia arrived on this island by boat. As the naive and welcoming little girl I was, I went there to greet them..." she said before raising her fist until it was at the level of her eyes. She clenched it so hard that it began to tremble as anger built into her.

"Then they pushed me to the side and began trashing the whole town. They tagged the walls, bullied people, used them as cannonballs... I tried to go back to my family to warn them, but when I arrived..." Mustache Girl trailed and remained silent for a second before she continued. "The Mafia were already at my house... They were breaking and throwing everything around. And... they had my family... I tried to make them stop, reasoning and bargaining with them, but they just laughed at me and then they..." She stopped, trying to prevent the tears from coming out.

Arthur knew where this was going. Judging by what she said earlier, her family was probably catapulted out of the island with a cannon.

"Say no more..." Arthur said as he gave her a look of sympathy. He felt sorry that she went through all of this. He knew how it felt to lose something or someone important to you. He knew that feeling too well... Mustache Girl turned to look at him. She managed to stop herself from crying, but Arthur could tell that she was still depressed.

Mustache Girl looked at Arthur firmly and said with venom in her voice, "This is why I've been fighting the Mafia this whole time. I want to make them _**pay**_ for what they did to the people of this island, to my family... and to _me_. I want to make them suffer and make them feel the pain they made me go through..."

Arthur looked down, his hat hiding his eyes. He understood how the girl felt. Though he didn't know how to feel about the _revenge_ part... Before telling her about that, he just had one question for her.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.

"To show you how important this fight was to me. For my plan to be a success. I know you and the other girl have your differences but... if you guys continue fighting, you will both get in each other's way and you will become easy prey for the Mafia. It could ruin the whole plan we set! That's why I want you both to solve your conflict so we can easily take down the Mafia together!" Mustache Girl explained. Arthur understood what she meant, though it was easier said than done. Because of how people had treated him in the past, he tended to hold grudges toward those who had wronged him in a way for a long time. Heck, he had never tried to forgive anyone in his whole life...

"I understand, but it's not that simple. Me and the kid... we didn't really have the 'best' of introductions. Then she said something I didn't like and... That was that," The twelve-year-old boy explained sadly.

"Come on, Arthur. I need you both to make an effort with this. At least until we've dealt with the Mafia Boss," Mustache Girl begged. Arthur sighed in defeat. Guess he didn't have much of a choice... It was going to be tough, but... he will try to make an effort. For Mustache Girl.

"Alright... I'll try," the twelve-year-old boy said sadly but genuinely.

"Thank you, Arthur," Mustache Girl said with an appreciative smile. Arthur nodded before his expression grew serious.

"But listen... take this as a personal advice. That 'revenge' of yours... You should give up on that," he said. Mustache Girl's smile dropped right after he said that.

"What? Why would I do that?" Mustache Girl asked, clearly shocked by what Arthur just said.

"Revenge is a fool's game, Mustache Girl. It's not worth it," the twelve-year-old explained sadly. Mustache Girl huffed in annoyance.

"Oh course it is! The Mafia took _**everything**_ away from me! And I'm just supposed to let them walk away with it?!" the red-hooded girl argued angrily. Arthur was aware that it wasn't easy to let go of the past, but he knew the consequences of revenge _too well_ to let Mustache Girl go down that dangerous path.

"It'll only get you in trouble. Trust me... I know what I'm saying. I..." Arthur tried to reason, but the mustached girl cut him off.

"I'll be fine! These brutes have been giving trouble for a year already and I've always gotten out of it! The last thing I need is a lecture on what I'm supposed to do in this situation!" Mustache Girl shouted angrily. Arthur looked down, sadly knowing he had just hit a nerve. He didn't mean to upset the mustached girl... Clearly there was no changing her mind, but at least he tried.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..." Arthur said before sighing in defeat. "Nevermind..."

Mustache Girl noticed the regretful look on the twelve-year-old boy's face and her expression softened. She didn't mean to snap at him like that, let alone hurt his feelings if she did. She had to think of a way to make up to him and lighten up the mood. She then had an idea and she smirked mischeviously. She then proceeded to bring her fist to Arthur's shoulder and lightly hit it, faking a punch. The young boy gave her a confused look.

"What was that for?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow at the still-smirking girl.

"I knew you were a big softy under all that tough demeanor!" Mustache Girl said teasingly. Arthur rolled his eyes at her. Now she was trying to mess with him. Fine, he will play that game with her.

"Don't irritate me, girl," he said in a fake threatening tone.

"Aww, did I offend the little cowboy?~" Mustache Girl teased in a sing-song voice.

"I'll shave that mustache of yours," Arthur said jokingly.

"No touchy! That's my signature, cowboy! Mess with it, and you're a dead guy!" she joked, twirling her mustache a little.

"Fair enough," Arthur said with a chuckle. Mustache Girl smiled at him. She was pleased that she was able to lighten up the mood... and it was nice to see the boy smile for once.

"Alright! With that out of the way, let's get to the cannon already!" Mustache Girl said enthusiastically before running out of the house. Arthur shook his head in amusement and followed her outside.

As he exited the abandoned house, Arthur turned around to give one last look at it. He formed a sad look as he remembered what Mustache Girl said earlier. He felt bad for the young girl. There was no doubt that she went through a lot... Just like him. He understands her reasons for wanting the Mafia dead, but that idea of 'revenge'? He knew too well that it was a bad idea, but it wasn't like he could change her mind anyway.

"You coming, Arthur?" Mustache Girl called out to him. Arthur snapped out of his trance and followed her.

He really hoped he was wrong on this, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Mustache Girl's desire for revenge was going to more problematic than anticipated... Arthur shook his head. He shouldn't let the thought get to him. His priority was to help Mustache Girl with her plan. After that, he hoped she would remain true to her word and that she will help him get on a boat to leave.

* * *

Back on the spaceship, Hat Kid had just finished taking a shower. She was in a purple bathrobe and was wearing her purple slippers on her feet. Her hair were a bit wet and untied, and she was hatless. She had also washed her clothes, as well as her favorite top hat, and was waiting for them to finish drying.

She walked toward her vault and opened it. She put the Time Piece she had retrieved from the paranoid Mafia man in it. That was three Time Pieces so far, but there were still 53 more out there. She closed the vault and went down to the first level of the main room, making sure to greet Rumbi on the way. She sat on her captain's cushioned chair and stared down at the planet below.

Her eyes landed on Mafia Town and she suddenly thought of Arthur as she did. It was strange for her to think about him, considering the two of them are enemies. Though, she couldn't shake off the thought of him snapping at her earlier.

_"Keep your stupid hourglass! I don't care! They've been nothing but **trouble** for me so far anyway! It's because of one of those things that I'm stuck here now! Away from **home**!"_

_"It doesn't matter anyway. For all I know, I'll be stuck in this hellhole forever with no way to return home..."_

Hat Kid's face was blank as Arthur's words echoed in her head. They definitely didn't leave her indifferent. She had expected him to argue with her about giving him information on the Time Pieces or even try to snatch the one she had from her hands, but he didn't. Instead, he looked... lost, broken and depressed. Hopeless even.

When she had first met him on her spaceship, she thought he had snuck in to steal her Time Pieces and use them for his own benefits. But after seeing him look so glum earlier, she realized that he just seemed to not care, despite the fact that he asked her about them before. Maybe... he was telling the truth this whole time. Maybe he really did end up on her ship by accident. She always thought it was a lie, but now...

Hat Kid's heart was suddenly filled with guilt and remorse. She had treated him so badly for something that he never intended to do. And as a result, she had caused the twelve-year-old boy to hate her guts and he probably will never forgive her for what she had done to him. The girl sighed sadly. She will have to apologize to him once she comes back down, and hopefully she can make things right between the two of them.

But for now, she had to wait for her clothes to finish drying...

* * *

Mustache Girl and Arthur made their way to the top of the building where the cannon was located. They climbed ladders and crossed rooftops until they reached their destination. Once on top, the two children spotted the cannon just sitting there, ready to be used.

"Alright, there it is!" Mustache Girl said happily.

"Great. Now off to get catapulted away and possibly die," Arthur said sarcastically. He still wasn't sure about the idea of 'safety' about using the cannon to get up to the Mafia's HQ.

"Oh, don't be such a scaredy-cat! It's safe to use! The Mafia use that to get up there all the time! I also tried it before and it works!" Mustache Girl reassured the twelve-year-old boy.

"And there was no 'accident' or whatsoever?" Arthur asked unamused, still not convinced about the safety of the cannon usage.

"Well... There was this Mafia guy who broke both of his legs after using it the wrong way last month. Couldn't stop laughing for ten minutes when I heard that happen!" Mustache Girl said, trying to suppress a laugh at the thought of the Mafia man getting his legs broken.

"Well, that's reassuring..." the twelve-year-old boy muttered sarcastically. That statement didn't help him feel more confident about it. Mustache Girl patted him in the back.

"You'll be fine! Alright, I'm already gonna go up there and scout ahead! You go tell the other girl to come up here as well. Don't take too long though!" the red-hooded girl said as she made her way toward the cannon.

"Sure..." Arthur answered hesitantly, remembering that Hat Kid was probably still on her spaceship, unknown to the mustached girl. He would have to wait for her to come back down before going in, but he hoped she wouldn't take too long to come as he didn't want to make Mustache Girl feel suspicious.

As the red-hooded girl climbed into the cannon, she glanced at the young boy and said with a serious expression, "And Arthur, be cool with her. I don't want to see you two fight again, because we might not get a second chance at this."

"As promised," Arthur said with a sigh. He hoped the kid would not give him another reason to get mad at her. He didn't want to break the promise he made to Mustache Girl. Enough people had done that to him in the past, and he certainly didn't want to stoop to their level.

"Great! See ya up there!" Mustache Girl said, giving him a thumbs-up. Arthur nodded at her.

The young boy watched as she closed the hatch of the cannon, locking herself inside. The cannon laid back and pointed upward. After that, Arthur saw Mustache Girl get shot out toward the sky and landing on the huge platform sitting on the geyser, disappearing from sight.

"Well, she made it..." Arthur muttered nervously. Just watching the mustached girl get shot up by the cannon made him feel uneasy. His anxiety was definitely not going to like that when his turn will come. Well, for now, he had to wait for Hat Kid to come back down. So he still had time to prepare himself mentally for this.

Arthur walked up to the cannon and sat down against it. As he was waiting for Hat Kid, Arthur pulled out the crowbar that Mustache Girl gave him back on the spaceship and decided to play with it to kill some time, tossing it upward and catching it in the air.

He was feeling a bit nervous. Not just because of the idea of using a cannon that could probably catapult him away to his death, but also for what was coming next. They were about to head into the Mafia's main base, meaning it was going to be filled with lots of Mafia men. Being surrounded by large brutes, speaking in third person and who probably hates you, was not the most reassuring situation to be in. Especially since they were going to confront the boss of the Mafia, which will definitely seal his place on the Mafia's blacklist for good. Arthur wasn't unfamiliar with this kind of situation, which made him even more nervous... But he will have to go through it nonetheless. It was the only choice he had to get a way off this island. Thankfully, the rain falling on his skin soothed him a little.

He had to admit: he didn't have a plan, nor knew where to go after that. He hoped that there was _something_ out there that could give him clues on how to summon a portal to get him home. Even though, he admitted that he dreaded having to go back there, since he knew it was already hell for him at home. His dad will probably yell at him and insult him – even hit him – for going missing. But only bad things have been happening to him on this planet too so far. He literally almost _**died**_ earlier! At least at home, he knew what to expect, unlike here. Plus, he didn't belong here. He wasn't from this planet, so he was nothing more than a stranger and he had nothing to do here. He had no other choice...

Twenty minutes have passed, and soon it was nightfall. After playing with his crowbar for a while, Arthur suddenly heard a thud coming from nearby. He looked to the side and saw Hat Kid with her umbrella in her hand as she closed it. The young boy noticed that she wasn't covered in mud anymore, meaning she had taken a shower and washed her clothes.

"Ah, you're finally here. Good," Arthur said with a blank expression, putting his crowbar away and getting up to his feet. Hat Kid nodded as she put her umbrella away.

The purple-hatted girl walked up to him and she rubbed the back of her head nervously. Though Arthur didn't seem to have noticed that. She wanted to apologize to him for the way she had treated him before, but she was scared he wouldn't forgive her. She had to do it though, it was the least she could do after everything she had done to him. She opened her mouth to talk, but Arthur spoke before she could.

"Mustache Girl went on ahead already. She's waiting for us up there, so we should probably go as well," he said as he turned to face the cannon. Hat Kid sighed. Guess she would have to apologize to him later on... Arthur formed a nervous look as he stared at the cannon before shaking his head.

"Well... Let's get this over with..." the twelve-year-old boy said, relucantly climbing into the cannon. "Guess I didn't need to get captured to end up as a human cannonball," he muttered before closing the hatch.

The cannon pointed up and, after a few seconds, shot out Arthur toward the sky. With a determined nod, Hat Kid jumped in the cannon as well, closed the hatch, and soon she was shot out toward the platform on top of the geyser as well.

**A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Soooo... yeah... some dark and emotional stuff is happening in this one. But don't worry, a bit of humor is also present to ease the tension a little. ^^ Also it looks like Hat Kid finally realized that Arthur is not as bad as she thought, and the latter will try to make an effort to get along with her. That's definitely a step in the right direction. ^^**

**Anyway, time to answer reviews! Also silly me... In the previous chapters, I thought that most of your reviews were deleted somehow. But in fact, it's because it seems like they take a certain amount of time before being made public, that's why. (I'm still kinda new to how reviews work, since it's my first fanfiction I'm posting here. ^^;)**

**Alright, let's get on with it!**

_**To Shadow Necro:**_** Everything revealed in this chapter now. ;) (And it's okay, I struggled a bit with the language when I first started learning it. Thankfully, Internet has really helped me learn english, and I'm sure you'll be good at it someday. ;))**

_**To Maoshin:**_** Thank you! This means a lot to me! ;)**

_**To Katoptris12: **_**As said in Chapter 2 and this chapter as well, Arthur already knows that both places are like hell for him. However, considering he hates both, he figured it was best to be in the one he's familiar with and knows what to expect than the other where he's not. His anxiety also plays a role in it, as Arthur doesn't like surprises. Plus, he feels like he doesn't belong here, so... there's that. But don't worry, he'll soon find a purpose in this new world. ;)**

_**To thechickensawesome:**_** Glad you're excited for this story! :D**

**Alright! That's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Arthur screamed as he was launched toward the sky at high speed. The mix of rain and wind were blinding his vision as his body continued getting higher and higher in the air. After a few seconds, the laws of gravity began to take effect and soon he was falling down. He ended up face-planting on the ground, but he wasn't dead or injured as the fall wasn't too high. It still hurt a bit though.

The twelve-year-old boy let out a groan, mentally telling himself to **never** jump in a cannon again. Using both of his hands, he lifted himself up a little until he felt something landing on his back, forcing his face back down against the hard ground and causing him to say "Ow!" at the sudden impact. He shook his head a little and looked up behind him to see Hat Kid lying on top of him. Realizing that she was the one who landed on him, Arthur gave her an annoyed look, causing the small girl to smile at him sheepishly.

"Get off me!" Arthur said irritated as he pushed Hat Kid off to the side. The purple-hatted girl pouted at him in response.

The two children got up to their feet and patted the dust off of themselves. They looked ahead and their eyes widened at the view of the entrance of the Mafia's HQ. The building appeared to be some sort of restaurant or resort. There were giant smiling cutouts of two Mafia men with a whale, an octopus, a squid, and a swordfish. Though, these seemingly welcoming cutouts had their touch of irony added in with a big red sign above the closed iron gate that said 'Go away! (Please).' Arthur and Hat Kid were both clearly unamused by this.

"Well, at least they're being polite about it. Ish," Arthur said with a shrug. Hat Kid nodded.

"You two took your time!" a familiar feminine voice said in an impatient and annoyed tone. Arthur and Hat Kid looked to the left, and saw Mustache Girl standing on top of a red and yellow tarp. She was using her arms to block crumbled-up paper balls and empty tin cans being thrown at her by three Mafia goons on the ground below her.

"Help me out here! Get these brutes off my case and we can go inside!" she ordered impatiently. Arthur rolled his eyes at the red-hooded girl's tone.

"Calm down, princess. We're coming," the twelve-year-old boy said jokingly, pulling out his crowbar. Hat Kid giggled and pulled out her umbrella.

"I heard that!" Mustache Girl shouted in annoyance.

The two children ran toward the three Mafia men. Hat Kid jumped and did a homing attack on the first one, knocking him out. Arthur ran up to the second one and hit him in the guts with his crowbar, causing the Mafia man to crouch and cough. Using that momentum, the young boy proceeded to whack him in the head, knocking the Mafia man out as well. The third Mafia goon saw his two friends down. Getting angry, he attempted to punch Arthur who was the closest one to him, but Hat Kid jumped forward and whacked the man hard in the head before he could hit the young boy. The Mafia man did a spin before falling face first on the ground and passing out. Arthur was surprised that Hat Kid helped him, but he nodded at her gratefully, earning a smile from the girl.

"Good job, you two!" Mustache Girl congratulated her two allies, her hands on her hips.

"So _that's_ what you call 'scouting ahead'?" Arthur asked jokingly.

"Shut up, Arthur!" the red-hooded girl retorted as she jumped off the tarp and onto the ground.

"You know, I've seen princesses in movies squealing like scared rats when they were in danger. But a tough cookie with a mustache? Nope. Never," the young boy continued in a teasing tone. Hat Kid couldn't help but laugh at that joke. She had to admit, Arthur could be pretty funny at times. Mustache Girl rolled her eyes at him.

"Very funny, cowboy. Anyway, do you guys have the jars as planned?" Mustache Girl asked, smirking widely. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other nervously. At this point, they had completely forgotten about them. And even so, neither of them wanted to get them in the first place. Looks like it was time to come up with an excuse.

"Uh yeah... About that... we searched everywhere but, uh, we couldn't find any..." Arthur lied as he rubbed the back of his head. Hat Kid nodded nervously to back up his lie. Hopefully, that should be enough to convince the red-hooded girl.

Mustache Girl's smile dropped. Arthur and Hat Kid stared at her nervously, worried that she saw through their lie. Thankfully, she shrugged and said, "Oh well, they probably have plenty of them inside their base. So let's go in there already!".

With that, she ran off toward the entrance. Arthur and Hat Kid both sighed in relief. That was close... Though they hoped they wouldn't find any jars in here as well. None of them wanted to be a part of the mustached girl's 'mush and jar' massacre.

Mustache Girl ran in front of the entrance and stepped on a button on the ground. She turned to look at her two allies and motioned for them to step on the other two buttons. Hat Kid did as she was told and went to step on the second button.

_'Three buttons? How convenient...'_ Arthur thought as he stepped on the third button. As soon as he did, the front door of the Mafia's HQ opened.

"Let's go, it's showtime _baby_!" Mustache Girl said eagerly as she ran inside. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other for a second before glancing at the now-opened front door. Arthur took a deep breathe, preparing himself mentally for what might happen once they go inside.

"Here goes nothing," Arthur said as he walked in, with Hat Kid following close behind.

When they walked inside, the two children's eyes widened as they looked around the place. It looked like some sort of casino with gambling tables, slot machines, and there even was a bar. Also, they could notice the big amount of Mafia men present in this place, as well as the smell of smoke. Arthur and Hat Kid already felt out of place.

Mustache Girl looked at them and whispered, "Alright, so here's what we're gonna do. There's a back door in the kitchen that leads into the cold room. There's a vent inside that will lead us right to the Mafia Boss area. I think they keep the door locked though, so you guys search around for the key, and I'll sneak into the kitchen and meet you there." She then gave her two allies a stern look. "And keep a low profile! We only got one shot at this!"

"You really think they won't notice a bunch of kids roaming around in here?" Arthur asked sarcastically in a whisper. As he carefully looked around, he could already see that some Mafia men were looking at them menacingly.

"You got a better idea maybe, smart guy?" Mustache Girl whispered in an irritated tone.

Arthur remained silent for a second, then whispered, "No..." with a sigh. Indeed, there didn't seem to be any other way leading to the Mafia Boss, and they were clearly outnumbered here so fighting wasn't an option either. It looked like they had no choice but to stick with Mustache Girl's plan. The red-hooded girl smiled in satisfaction.

"That's settled then, so let's get started! I'll meet you guys in the kitchen," Mustache Girl said. She then snuck past the numerous Mafia men and made her way through the door behind the bar, which Arthur and Hat Kid assumed it was leading to the kitchen.

As Hat Kid looked around the place some more, she spotted a Mafia man who had something of interest sticking out of his pocket. A Time Piece! The man in question walked into an area that seemed to lead to the theatre judging by the sign above the entrance. The purple-hatted girl ran after him but, before she could go through, a Mafia man guarding the entrance stopped her with a firm hand.

"Little child not allowed in. Mafia only," the goon said sternly. Hat Kid frowned at him. In another situation, she would have just pulled out her umbrella and beaten him up with it. But she remembered Mustache Girl's request to keep a low profile and she didn't want to give the Mafia a reason to throw her and Arthur out of the base. She huffed in frustration as she had no choice but to turn back and hope that she would be able to get that Time Piece another way.

As she went back to Arthur's side, she abruptly stopped as she felt something hit her cheek. Startled, she rubbed her cheek and looked down to see an empty tin can on the floor. Someone just threw that at her! How rude! She formed an irritated expression on her face and looked to the right to see the culprit: a Mafia man behind one of the gambling tables who didn't seem to appreciate the children's presence here.

"Little kids, shoo! This is Mafia base!" the Mafia goon said angrily as he threw another projectile at Hat Kid. This time, she was able to dodge it.

Arthur had witnessed the whole scene, and he was _**not**_ happy. Getting bullied was one thing, but watching _someone else_ getting bullied? That he couldn't stand, even if he had his differences with Hat Kid. The young boy felt anger boiling in him and he greeted his teeth. He pulled out his crowbar and suddenly lunged at the Mafia man. He then proceeded to beat him repeatedly with his crowbar under the shocked looks of Hat Kid and the numerous Mafia men around. Within a few hits, the Mafia goon was out cold on the floor. Arthur breathed heavily, letting out all the frustration he had, and turned around to see that the other Mafia men were looking at him with their jaw dropped. He was now at the center of attention and it was a feeling that the twelve-year-old boy didn't like. He stared daggers at each and every one of them.

"Anyone else has a **problem** with us being here?!" Arthur asked threateningly through gritted teeth. The Mafia men glanced away nervously, prentending they didn't see anything. They really didn't want to suffer the same fate as the unfortunate goon.

Arthur huffed as the anger left him and he put his crowbar away. He walked back to Hat Kid and found the girl staring at him, surprised that he stood up for her.

"You're welcome," the twelve-year-old boy said blankly, looking away from her. Hat Kid then smiled at him. He really wasn't as bad as she first thought he was. Perhaps it was not too late to make amends and make friends with him.

"Anyway... we should probably start searching for that key," Arthur suggested, trying to change the topic. Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

**"Greetings, young ones."**

Arthur and Hat Kid jolted at the sudden voice coming from behind them. They quickly turned around and were about to pull their weapons out until they saw a familiar glitchy figure. Arthur immediately recognized him. It was the Badge Seller.

**"My apologies for startling you both. I tend to greet people from behind, it is a bad habit,"** they apologized. Hat Kid relaxed and sighed in relief. She had already met them before as well and knew they meant no harm.

"Oh, hi there!" Hat Kid greeted happily as she waved her hand at them. Arthur looked at her puzzled.

"You know this person?" he asked her.

**"She bought one of my badges for her hat earlier. They give the owner some special abilities that can be very helpful for them,"** the Badge Seller explained with a smile. Hat Kid nodded, pointing at said badge on her hat. It was green and it had a magnet drawn on it. Arthur never noticed that before, probably because he was too caught up in their rivalry to even pay attention to that.

"So you sell like, what, magical badges?" Arthur asked curiously.

**"Indeed. Badges with special abilities to be more precise,"** the Badge Seller said with a nod.

"That's... great... I guess..." Arthur said, unsure what to make of this information. It sounded too good to be true. But then again, a lot of things out of the ordinary have happened ever since he arrived in this strange world. Like the fact that this guy's body was still glitching for example... Arthur will still need some time to get used to it. The Badge Seller then turned their attention to Hat Kid.

**"I have some new items to sell that may be of some interest to you, young miss. Do you want to take a look?"** they asked. Hat Kid nodded eagerly with a grin. The Badge Seller smiled and pulled out some sort of pin.

**"This pin will allow you to equip a second badge on your hat. That way you can have two different abilities at once. 50 pons only,"** they explained. Then they pulled out a pale yellow badge with an open umbrella drawn on it. **"And this is the 'Hover Badge'. This badge will allow your umbrella to automatically open when you fall from a high height and slow down your falling speed before you hit the ground. That way you won't be fatally injured when falling from a high height. 100 pons."**

_''Pons'? Must be the money system of this planet...'_ Arthur thought.

Hat Kid checked her pockets and pulled out two small bags. One with 100 pons and another one with 50 pons. She was able to get all of those pons by exploring Mafia Town and saving an old man who was being picked on by a group of Mafia men, before she saved Mustache Girl and Arthur at the pile of TNT barrels earlier. She handed the bags over to the Badge Seller, and the latter gave her the pin and the badge. Hat Kid eagerly put both of them on her purple top hat.

"Thank you!" Hat Kid said with a smile. The Badge Seller smiled back at her.

**"I may be able to have more items of interest later on. Come visit me again when you have the chance,"** they said. Hat Kid nodded at them gratefully.

The purple-hatted girl began to walk away, but she stopped when she noticed Arthur wasn't following her. She looked at him to ask him if he was coming.

"Uh, you go on ahead and search for that key. I'll catch up," Arthur said to her. He still had some questions for the Badge Seller. Hat Kid gave him a curious look, but she shrugged and began to search around for the key. Arthur turned his attention back to the Badge Seller, and apparently the twelve-year-old boy's thoughts were readable on his face.

**"You probably have some questions that need answers, young one,"** the Badge Seller said with anticipation.

"Uh, actually I do..." Arthur said, looking around to make sure no one was listening to their conversation. Thankfully, Hat Kid was gone, Mustache Girl was still in the kitchen, and every Mafia men were too busy minding their own business to pay attention – and if they did, they surely weren't showing it.

"How do you know my name? I mean, my _full_ name. I don't recall meeting you before Mafia Town," the young boy whispered, reminding the glitchy seller about their previous conversation where they had called Arthur by his full name.

**"I have my ways to know,"** the Badge Seller simply answered with a smile.

"What ways?" Arthur asked skeptically.

**"There is only so much I can say for the time being. You will have to be patient, young one"** they said. Arthur was confused, but he shrugged nonetheless. It didn't seem like he was gonna get a better answer right now. Though... he didn't know why but... he still couldn't shake the feeling that he already met the Badge Seller somewhere before he came to this world. He shook his head. It was probably his mind playing tricks on him.

**"However, I can say that I know that you are not from this world, Arthur Jones,"** the Badge Seller said, catching the boy's full attention.

"You know?" Arthur asked with a shocked expression, earning a nod from the glitchy seller. They were probably the only one so far to know that he wasn't from here... but how? He had never told anyone that he was from another world before, because he knew people would call him crazy if he did.

"How?" he asked. The Badge Seller remained silent for a second before he answered.

**"Like I said, there is only so much I can tell unfortunately,"** they said. Arthur sighed in defeat.

"So... where am I exactly?" the twelve-year-old asked.

**"You are in another version of the Earth as you know it. A different one where everything works differently from the way you know it. To be more precise, you are in another dimension,"** the Badge Seller answered. Another dimension? Well, that definitely explained all of the things out of the ordinary that he had seen until now.

"Well, that explains a lot..." Arthur muttered as he looked down for a few seconds. Then a question came through his mind and he looked back at the Badge Seller.

"Do you... know how I can go back to my home world? A portal had brought me here, so is there a way to summon another one that could take me back?" he asked. The Badge Seller shook his head.

**"There might be a way, but I do not have the knowledge for it. I could do some research, but it could take years before I can give you a result,"** they answered sadly. Arthur's eyes widened. Years?! Did that mean that he was going to be stuck on this planet for this long?

"Does anyone else out there know how to summon a portal?" he asked, hoping to get a positive answer.

**"I am afraid not,"** the Badge Seller said as they shook their head. Arthur looked down sadly before an idea came to his mind.

"The girl with the hat... She is collecting those magical hourglasses. An hourglass was what summoned the portal that brought me in this dimension after I broke it. Is there anything that can be done with them, aside from breaking them?" Arthur asked in a desperate tone.

**"These hourglasses... are not what you think they are, Arthur,"** the Badge Seller answered sadly.

"So what **are** they then?" Arthur asked, getting more frustrated by the second.

**"This is something that you will discover very soon, young one,"** the Badge Seller said as they put an hand on the boy's shoulder. Arthur pushed their hand away in frustration and turned away from them. He couldn't believe it! He was going to be stuck on this planet for years?! Arthur sighed sadly.

**"Perhaps you can try to see all the good things that this world has to offer. Maybe there is a place for you out there,"** the Badge Seller said. Arthur chuckled dryly in response.

"A place for myself? I've been trying to find one for years and I've been only met with disappointments. And so far, only bad things have happened to me in this world... What proves that it will be any different from the one I know?" Arthur said in a depressed tone.

**"Give it time, Arthur. Maybe one day, your efforts will be rewarded,"** the Badge Seller reassured him.

"I guess..." Arthur said with a sigh.

He honestly doubted that he would find a place for himself eventually. A long time ago, he had hope that everything would get better eventually. But as the years passed, the same misery kept happening to him and it only seemed to get worse every day. Soon, he had lost all hopes for things to get better for him, and now, all he wanted was to die so he wouldn't have to suffer anymore. But of course, he could never bring himself to just end it right here and then... He even had a chance to die earlier on that wireline, but he couldn't bring himself to let go of the tightrope when he grabbed it... because he was a coward. But none of this mattered now...

"Badge Sel-" Arthur began to say as he turned around to look at the glitchy vendor. But when he did, the Badge Seller was gone. The young boy sighed. Once again, they just disappeared without a trace when he least expected it.

"God dammit..." Arthur mumbled as he covered his face with his hand.

To be honest, he didn't know how to feel about this. A part of him was glad that he wouldn't have to see his drunk father again or the people who made fun of him for a long time. But at the same time, that meant he was going to be stuck on a planet he is unfamiliar with and that made him feel very anxious. What was going to happen to him now? What was he going to do on this planet? Was he going to remain here forever? Was he gonna die within the next few days? He didn't know what to expect...

Arthur sighed and went to sit on one of the stools at the bar. Normally, he hated bars due to what alcohol had turned his father into, but right now he didn't care. He just needed to sit down and... think for a while... The Mafia man in charge of serving drinks at the bar noticed the boy's glum look and walked up to him.

"What's troubling you, little boy? Mafia not know what child drink," he asked while he cleaned an empty glass cup with a cloth, catching the young boy's attention.

"I'm fine..." Arthur lied, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. The last thing he needed was one of these brutes coming over to bother him. However, the Mafia barman could see right through him.

"You don't look fine. Little boy need someone to talk?" the man asked with concern in his voice. Mafia men showed concern now? What a joke...

"Why would you care? You're a Mafia man," Arthur stated coldly. The Mafia barman shook his head.

"Mafia do bad things, but Mafia not heartless. Mafia always open for advice," he said. Arthur sighed. Well... what did he have to lose talking to this goon? Life was laughing at him already, so might as well add more to the list...

"It's... been a tough day... Long story short, I can't go home," Arthur said in a sad tone. He was preparing himself mentally for the goon to start mocking him and throwing insults at him. But surprisingly, he didn't.

"Little boy not worry. Mafia sure you will find a way home eventually," the Mafia barman reassured the twelve-year-old boy. Arthur shook his head.

"If I'm being honest... I'm not sure if I wanna go back there. My life at home was hell for me," Arthur explained, starting to open up a little more.

"Then you should find new home. Little boy can't stay in place that make him not happy," the Mafia barman suggested. Arthur sighed, knowing he was right. However, he still doubted that there could be some place out there where he could be happy. Not to mention that he felt like he didn't belong in this new world.

"I wish it was that simple... I feel like... no matter where I go, there's no place I belong," Arthur said in a depressed tone.

"Little boy not lose hope. Everyone can find place where they belong eventually. Just like Mafia did," the Mafia barman said. Arthur slightly nodded. Though he still wasn't convinced, the Mafia man's words actually helped a little. He looked up at the goon. The young boy wasn't smiling but he wasn't frowning either.

"Thank you..." Arthur said genuinely.

"Don't mention it," the Mafia barman said with a smile, before he went back to cleaning up glasses.

It was needless to say that Arthur was surprised that the Mafia man actually wanted to help and not laugh at him like most people would. Maybe the Mafia wasn't as bad as he thought they were. Well, some of them at least. That made him hesitate more about following Mustache Girl through her plan to get rid of the Mafia. But it wasn't like he had a choice anymore. He was here now, and as long as the Mafia was around, he was still unable to leave the island by boat.

Arthur was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt a tug on his arm. He looked behind him and saw Hat Kid tugging on his arm.

"Hey. You found the key?" Arthur asked her. Hat Kid nodded, then motioned for him to follow her.

"Alright," he said, getting up from his seat. As he did, Hat Kid noticed that he seemed a little sad and she gave him a concerned look. Arthur noticed her stare and said, "I'm fine. Just lead the way."

Hat Kid could see that he was lying, but he clearly didn't want to talk about it. The purple-hatted girl shrugged and began to walk, with Arthur following close behind.

**A/N: Hey everyone! So I don't have much to say about this chapter, but I'd like to make an announcement. I'm gonna be away for two weeks, starting from Tuesday, 30 July. That means I'll be unable to write or post new chapters until I'm back home. I'm supposed to come back on Saturday, 17 August. In the meantime, I hope you guys will be patient enough to wait for my return. I promise I'll do my best to get back on track once I return home.**

**Thanks for your attention, everyone! Now it's answers to reviews time!**

_**To Shadow Necro:**_** Indeed, Arthur will soon learn why Hat Kid treated him the way she did before. But that's not for until after they've defeated the Mafia Boss.**

_**To Maoshin:**_** Thank you. To answer your question, I try to plan the story ahead but they're only bits and pieces until I actually start writing the chapters. While I'm writing, sometimes I get new ideas and I'm adding them in despite the fact that I hadn't originally planned to add them. I'm doing it as long as it works.**

**Alright, that's all for today, folks! See you all in two weeks!**


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Hat Kid led Arthur to a backroom that had two doors leading to the toilet – one of them was boarded up due to the fact that there were no women among the Mafia – and a wooden cage-like gate with a button at the center of the room. The purple-hatted girl pointed her finger at a certain object that was behind the closed gate: a key. That must be the one that Mustache Girl asked the duo to find.

Arthur glanced at the key, then at the gate, and finally at the button on the floor. Then he gave Hat Kid an unamused look. Really? Couldn't she just have stepped on the button to open the gate and taken the key with her instead of making him come here?

"So what? There's the key locked up behind some gate and literally a _button_ on the floor. Don't you think the solution is simple enough?" Arthur asked sarcastically. Hat Kid rolled her eyes at him. There was a reason why she brought him here and she will show it to him.

The small girl stepped on the button. Sure enough, the gate opened. Arthur raised an eyebrow at her as if saying 'I told you.' However, when Hat Kid stepped off the button, the gate immediately closed again. The twelve-year-old boy's eyes widened as realization hit him. So _that _was why she needed him. Someone needed to stay on the button to keep the gate open while the other had to go grab the key. Hat Kid gave Arthur a smug look, making the boy roll his eyes at her.

"Alright, no need to rub it in my face. Well, here, you go get the key and I'll keep the gate open for you," Arthur said as he stepped on the button, making the gate open. Nodding, Hat Kid grabbed the key and went back to Arthur's side.

"Good. Now let's go find Mustache Girl," Arthur suggested. Hat Kid nodded and put the key in her pocket. The duo then walked out of the room.

As the two children headed to the kitchen, something suddenly dropped from the ceiling and landed right in front of them, startling them both. Looking down on the floor, they saw a lobster lying on its back. It then rolled over on its legs and scurried off. Arthur and Hat Kid were confused by this.

"A lobster? Where the hell did it come from?" Arthur asked puzzled as he and Hat Kid looked up.

The two children saw nothing though. Strange... However, they could see a space between the support beams and the ceiling. Then they noticed that it was possible to reach the support beams by climbing on top of the bar. Hat Kid grew curious and wanted to investigate, so she turned to Arthur and pointed up, asking him if they could take a moment to see what was up there. The young boy looked at Hat Kid for a moment, then up at the support beams, and then at the door that leads to the kitchen. He didn't really want to keep Mustache Girl waiting for too long, but he had to admit he was also curious to know where that lobster came from. Arthur sighed in defeat.

"Alright, but let's be quick. We don't wanna keep Mustache Girl waiting for too long," he said. Hat Kid nodded with a smile.

With that, the duo used one of the stools to climb on top of the bar, then onto the support beams. As they looked before them, they could see some strange rats running along the support beams, and there was a wooden platform on the other side of the room. Arthur and Hat Kid could spot someone there. Strange... What were they doing over there? The two children made their way to the wooden platform by walking on top of the support beams, avoiding the rats in the process.

When they reached it, they could see a pile of fish and a few buckets filled with lobsters lying around. So _that_ was where the lobster they saw earlier came from! There was also a fridge and an oven. In front of said oven was a crate where the person they saw was standing on it. They looked rather small in term of size, probably as tall as Arthur. They had their back turned on the two children as they seemed busy cooking some sort of dish. Arthur could feel his stomach growl at the smell. That's right, he was still hungry... With everything going on, he had completely forgotten about that. He really needed to find something to eat soon. Arthur shook his head. He will worry about it later. Now was not the time for that...

"Uh, hello?" Arthur said carefully. The person jolted in surprise and quickly turned around, but they relaxed when they saw it was just two children.

"Oh, hello there! I didn't hear you two coming up here," they said with a smile. It was an orange-furred cat, they had golden eyes, and they were wearing a chef's uniform and hat. The uniform had a red bow tied on the collar and red buttons. Judging by the voice, she was female.

Arthur couldn't believe it. A talking cat? Perhaps it was a thing from this world where some animals could talk and act like humans. This was starting to look like those movies and video games for kids...

"Sorry for startling you, uh, ma'am. But what are you doing up here?" Arthur asked curiously.

"Oh well, actually... I'm cooking dinner to replace the Mafia's with it," the chef cat explained. Arthur and Hat Kid were both confused by that statement.

"Uh, what?" Arthur asked with a confused expression on his face.

"You see, the Mafia are terrible at cooking! But fear not, Cooking Cat is here!" she said enthusiastically. So Cooking Cat was her name? It makes sense... "I prepare the actual dinner up here, and swap the food before anybody eats the Mafia's cooking. I'm fairly certain someone would _die_ if they ate the Mafia-prepared food!".

"Are they really _that_ bad at cooking?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"You gotta smell it to believe it," Cooking Cat said as she shivered in disgust. Arthur and Hat Kid formed a look of disgust on their faces. They had a feeling they didn't want to know how the Mafia-prepared food actually smelled like.

"And... nobody sees you swapping the food or anything?" Arthur asked perplexed.

"I try to make it quick, and besides you probably have noticed the Mafia aren't exactly the smartest persons that exist," Cooking Cat answered jokingly.

"That we did," Arthur said with chuckle, making Hat Kid giggle as well. However, Cooking Cat's smile suddenly dropped when she noticed that Arthur's face was a bit pale and he had bags under his eyes.

"You don't look so good, dear. Are you okay?" the chef cat asked concerned. Arthur was a bit taken aback by the sudden question, and he was especially suprised to see someone notice his state and feel concerned about him. He shook his head.

"I'm fine. I'm just a bit... tired is all," he lied, brushing off the concern. Hat Kid could see that he was lying. She had also noticed that he didn't look so good when she had first met him on her ship. She couldn't help but feel concerned for him as well, but she could see that the boy didn't want to talk about it. Perhaps she could save that question for later when he feels up to it. Cooking Cat wasn't convinced by Arthur's lie either, but she decided not to insist.

"Uh... Anyway, it was nice meeting you, Cooking Cat, but... we're a little busy at the moment, so we should probably get going," Arthur said nervously, trying to get the attention off of him. Cooking Cat slowly nodded.

"No problem! If you wish to talk to me again or maybe taste some of my recipes, I'll be up here most of the time," the chef cat said with a smile.

"We'll keep that in mind. See you," Arthur said before walking away. Hat Kid nodded at Cooking Cat with a smile to say good bye. The chef cat returned the smile and nodded at her as well, before turning her attention back to the dish on the oven.

Hat Kid caught up with Arthur. As she walked behind him, she couldn't help but stare at him. The way the young boy acted right after Cooking Cat asked him if he was okay was worrying her. He looked... surprised and panicked at the same time. For what reason did he act that way? Have people never showed concern to him before? Hat Kid was really curious and she wished she knew more about the boy to have the answers to her questions. But for now, it didn't seem like he was ready to open up to her just yet. So she decided to drop it for now.

The two children jumped down on top of the bar and onto the floor again. Then they entered the kitchen where Mustache Girl was waiting for them. However, it was soon proved to be one of the worst decisions they had ever made...

"Oh Jesus! Yuck!" Arthur gagged as he quickly covered his nose with both of his hands. Hat Kid coughed and covered her nose as well.

The smell in this room was just... _**horrendous**_! Looking at the whole kitchen, it was in such a poor state that it would make any professional cook scream in horror. The walls and the ceiling were deteriorated and traces of mold were clearly visible on them. Remains of rotten food and sauce – as well as cooking equipment and tin cans of the Mafia's poor excuse of food – were all spilled on the counters and the floor. There even was... wait, is that a cockroach? No wait... **multiple** cockroaches on the floor! Gross! Not just one second spent in this room and the two children already wanted out of it.

"Ew, ugh... I know Cooking Cat said they were bad at cooking, but this? Gotta smell it to believe it," Arthur said disgusted, repeating the chef cat's words. Hat Kid nodded in agreement. Seriously, how was it possible to cook under such conditions and especially with such food?

At the end of the room, the duo spotted Mustache Girl standing next to the back door leading to the cold room, she had her hands covering her nose as well. They were wondering how she had managed to stay in the kitchen for this long without throwing up.

"Not very appetizing, huh?" the red-hooded girl said with disgust as Arthur and Hat Kid approached her.

"Ugh, no kidding... Even my room smells better than that," Arthur admitted in a disgusted tone, causing the two girls to snort in their hands.

"Did you know that these idiots were actually called the Mafia of Cooks?" Mustache Girl deadpanned.

"The 'Mafia of Cooks', seriously?! Did they get their cooking license in a cereal box or something?" Arthur asked sarcastically in disbelief.

"I don't think they even got one in the first place..." Mustache Girl stated.

"Sounds about right..." Arthur muttered.

"Honestly, I'm surprised they're even still alive! It's like _someone_ is swapping these numbskulls's food with their own instead," Mustache Girl said, wondering how the Mafia men still haven't died of food poisoning.

"Yeah, that's... very strange indeed," Arthur said nervously as he and Hat Kid gave each other a knowing look. It was probably best not to tell their friend about the chef cat they met earlier.

"So, did you guys find the key?" Mustache Girl asked. Hat Kid nodded, and pulled out said key with one hand while keeping the other on her nose.

"Perfect! You guys go on ahead, and... I'll keep guard here," the red-hooded girl said.

"You just gonna stay here and endure the smell?" Arthur asked surprised. Staying in this room was literally torture! Did this girl have a death wish or something?

"Someone gotta stay here in case the Mafia show up without a warning. I'll meet ya both at the Mafia Boss's room later. Don't worry about me, I've been putting up with these guys for a year now, I'm used to the smell," Mustache Girl assured, though she didn't know herself how much longer she could hold out without throwing up.

"If you say so... Come on, kid, open this door already before I'm forced to throw up on this girl's mustache," Arthur said to Hat Kid jokingly.

"Don't you dare!" Mustache Girl threatened in disgust. Arthur and Hat Kid both chuckled at the red-hooded girl's reaction.

Hat Kid used the key to unlock the door. She opened it and headed inside, with Arthur following close behind.

"See ya later, you two!" the duo heard Mustache Girl say before she closed the door behind them.

As soon as they entered the room, they could feel the cold temperature on their skin. It was freezing, but at least the air was breatheable again. Both children wrapped their arms around themselves and rubbed their skin to try keeping themselves warm.

"Oof...! It sure is cold in here..." Arthur muttered, shivering. Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

They took a look around the cold room and they could see lots of fish hung from hooks under some meat hanger racks. Then they spotted the vent that Mustache Girl had told them about at the top left corner of the room, but it was too high for them to reach from here. They looked around for a way to reach up there and noticed that it was possible to climb on top of the racks to reach the vent.

"Come on. Let's reach that vent before we freeze to death," Arthur suggested as he rubbed his hands together. Hat Kid nodded, wanting to get out of the cold as well.

The duo began to climb on top of the racks. Hat Kid didn't have too much trouble jumping from rack to rack, while Arthur on the other hand was struggling as he was less agile than the purple-hatted girl. The cold wasn't making it any easier for him either. On each racks, he had to hold onto the edge after missing his jumps to avoid falling back to the ground, and Hat Kid had to pull him up every time.

Eventually, they were able to reach the vent by jumping on top of three big crates, conveniently placed under it. Hat Kid was about to crawl into the vent, but then she spotted a chest sitting on top of two other crates on the other side of the room. Curious about its content, she told Arthur to wait here and she headed toward the chest, using another rack to reach it. She opened the chest and was happy to find a yarn inside. That was four yarns she had now, with the ones she found earlier when climbing up to the top of the building where she found her previous Time Piece. She probably had enough to stitch a new hat, but she decided to save that for later. She jumped down and used the same path to climb back up to the vent where Arthur was waiting for her impatiently.

"Are you done? Good. Now let's move before we turn into ice statues," Arthur grumbled before crawling into the vent. Hat Kid rolled her eyes and followed him in.

A few paces in, Arthur eventually reached the end of the vent and stopped to look down at the drop below. However, Hat Kid didn't expect him to stop and accidentally bumped into him, causing the twelve-year-old boy to let out a yelp as he fell down the hole. Lucky for him, his fall was softened when he landed face first on a pile of... coins? Arthur lifted himself up a little and his eyes widened when he saw huge piles of golden coins and gems lying around on the floor. This was probably the Mafia's treasure room! Well, damn... That was a lot of gold!

He was suddenly pulled out of his trance when he felt something land on top of him, forcing his face back in the coins. He groaned and looked up behind him to see Hat Kid on top of him. Again?! That was twice in a row now!

"Oops! Sorry!" Hat Kid apologized with a sheepish smile.

"Off of me. Now," Arthur ordered in an annoyed tone. Hat Kid quickly did as she was told and got off of the young boy.

The purple-hatted girl's jaw dropped when she suddenly noticed the loot present in the room. She had never seen so many gold before! Arthur got up to his feet and brushed himself off.

"You ever seen so many gold before?" he asked. Hat Kid shook her head in response. "Yeah, me neither."

Arthur would lie if he said he wasn't even a bit tempted to take some for himself, but he didn't want to steal from the Mafia. That would be a bad idea. Besides, they were here to take down the Mafia Boss, not stealing. Hat Kid on the other hand was completely hypnotized by the amount of gold there was here. There was just so many gold... So shiny... Perhaps it wouldn't hurt if she just took some...

"Don't even think about it, girl," Arthur said, staring at her unamused. Hat Kid snapped out of her trance and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. Right, they had more important things to do right now...

Arthur shook his head and said, "Come on, let's go find the Mafia Boss." He then walked away, with Hat Kid following him.

The two children peeked around the corner and saw a long hallway with a long red carpet on the floor, small piles of gold and golden statues of Mafia men on the sides, and red curtains on the walls. At the end of the hallway, the duo spotted a Mafia man sitting on a throne, with two Mafia goons in black suits keeping guard. This man was dressed differently from all the other goons: he was wearing a chef's hat and uniform with a red coat over it, blue striped pants and brown shoes. He had black hair, blue eyes, and black mustache and goatee. No doubt, it was the Mafia Boss.

From afar, the stout man already looked very imposing and intimidating. Arthur could feel his anxiety rising. What will this guy do to them once they confront him? What if they can't beat him? What if he captures them or **worse**? The twelve-year-old boy began to hyperventilate. He quickly hid behind the wall and tried to calm himself down. Hat Kid looked at him worried and put an hand on his shoulder. However, Arthur jolted at the sudden contact, causing the small girl to immediately withdraw her hand in surprise.

"I-I'm fine... Just... gimme a sec..." the young boy said in between breathes. Hat Kid got really concerned for him. His heavy breathing, combined with the way he reacted when she touched his shoulder... That didn't look good.

After a few seconds, Arthur managed to calm himself down. He took a huge breathe. He couldn't let his anxiety get the best of him now. He had to be strong and... help take down the Mafia Boss. It was the only way to secure himself a boat to leave Mafia Town for good.

"Alright... I'm good. Let's get this over with," Arthur said. He then noticed the worried look that Hat Kid was giving him. He sighed and said "Let's just go," firmly, before he started walking in the hallway. Hat Kid sighed and followed him. She really hoped that the situation won't be too much for him to handle.

The duo walked along the hallway toward the Mafia Boss. The latter spotted the two children and pulled a lever on the side of his throne. A wooden gate suddenly rose before Arthur and Hat Kid, blocking their path. Then two curtains on both sides opened, revealing two Mafia men in black suits.

"Ah, should've expected that... Get ready!" Arthur said as he and Hat Kid pulled out their respective weapons, ready to defend themselves.

The two Mafia men began to approach the duo. Hat Kid jumped on the first goon's head, stunning him, then she finished him off with a few good whacks of her umbrella. The second goon threw a punch at Arthur, but the young boy dodged it by rolling under his legs and he got behind him. He whacked the Mafia man twice in the back and once in the head, knocking him out.

Seeing that his ambush didn't work, the Mafia Boss growled and pulled the lever again, lowering the gate to let the two children through. If these kids were planning to cause trouble, then he would have to deal with them personally. He hopped down from his throne as Arthur and Hat Kid approached him, and he stared at them menacingly.

"So... it is **you**!" the Mafia Boss said angrily, making both children flinch at his tone. "Ever since you two landed in Mafia Town, it's been raining with these magical hourglasses."

He paused for a second and continued, "You must be very lost, kids with hats. You're both in the heart of our town, standing before the most powerful man you will ever witness. Everything you've ever owned belongs to me now. Including this _hourglass piece_." He then pulled out a Time Piece from his pocket and waved it in front of the children. Hat Kid immediately gasped when she saw it, making the crime lord grin evilly at her.

"Interested, huh? If you want it, we'll have to settle it in true _**Mafia style**_!" the Mafia Boss said before he snapped his fingers. Suddenly, the lights in the room went off.

"Wow, what?! What's happening?!" Arthur asked in a panicked tone. Suddenly, he and Hat Kid yelped as they felt someone pick the both of them up from behind.

"Hey! Let go of us!" Arthur shouted angrily as he fidgeted in his captor's grip, but it was no use as the person refused to let him go. After a few seconds, the two children were dropped on the ground.

"Lights!"

Suddenly, the lights went on again. However, they realized they weren't in the throne room anymore. Instead, they were on a theather stage with a spotlight on them. Looking before them, they could see lots of Mafia men watching them from their seats. They cheered as they saw that the show was about to begin. Arthur suddenly felt extremely nervous and uncomfortable. Once again, he was at the center of attention. He hated that, because every time he was at the center of attention, it was when people were humiliating him in public.

Arthur and Hat Kid heard another spotlight being activated and they looked on their left. Their faces grew pale when they saw the Mafia Boss standing under the spotlight, holding two machetes in his hands. The two children gulped nervously, however, they remained determined. They were here now, and there was a Time Piece and Arthur's way out of here on the line. They couldn't back down now! Arthur and Hat Kid nodded firmly at each other as they readied their weapons. It was time for them to put their differences aside and work together to overcome this dangerous foe! They glared at the Mafia Boss who grinned at them menacingly in return.

"Action! It is... _**showtime**_." the crime lord announced, ready to battle.

**A/N: Hey everyone! Alright, so I know I said I was going away for two weeks, but then something personal happened in real life and... my trip got delayed to Friday, August 2, instead. So I decided to use that extra time to write one last chapter for you guys before I go on my trip. Hope you enjoyed it!**

**Now, it's time to answer reviews:**

_**To Katoptris12: **_**I appreciate that you enjoy the AHiT content I'm providing. At least, I was able to write this new chapter before I go for a while.**

_**To Shadow Necro: **_**The Mafia Boss fight will come up in the next chapter. ;) And sure, Arthur will soon find out the truth about Hat Kid's Time Pieces.**

_**To Maoshin: **_**Thank you very much! I promise to come back good as new after those two weeks away. For now, have this little chapter here. ^^**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** No rush, my friend. Take the time you need for your stories. ;) Anyway, thank you! ^^**

_**To Linkone1:**_** Indeed, we all know that Arthur needs some advices and support from people, even if he isn't convinced for now. And it's okay, no need to apologize, I understand. And thank you! ^^**

**Annnnd that's it, folks! See you all in two weeks (for real this time)!**


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

As soon as the Mafia Boss finished his sentence, he began to spin towards the children, attempting to slice them into pieces. Arthur and Hat Kid braced themselves and jumped over the crime lord's head before he could hit either of them. They watched him go to the end of the stage and were expecting him to stop. However, he didn't and he spun back towards them for another strike.

As they readied themselves, the two children noticed the faint blue lining that had appeared around the Mafia Boss. Strange... How was he doing that? Taking this as an opportunity, when the crime lord got close enough to her, Hat Kid jumped and did a homing attack on his head.

"Ouch!" The Mafia Boss yelled in pain as he stopped his attack. The blue outline around him disappeared right after the hit.

_'Huh... So blue is when he's vulnerable. Good to know,'_ Arthur thought. This was starting to feel like a video game...

Regaining his composure, the Mafia Boss jumped at the end of the stage and shouted, "Super charge!". Then he began spinning in one place and sending electric sparks towards the two children. Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes widened and they were forced to jump over each charges to not get electrocuted.

It lasted for a few seconds before the Mafia Boss slowed down and eventually stopped, unable to continue as he felt dizzy from all the spinning. The blue outline appeared around him again, signaling the children that it was time to strike. Arthur took the initiative and ran towards the crime lord, whacking him with his crowbar. The Mafia Boss was angered by this and he kicked Arthur away from him. Hat Kid caught the young boy before he could fall backward.

"You're no match for me!" the Mafia Boss shouted angrily.

The crime lord jumped off the stage and whistled. Levers being pulled were heard in the backstage. Arthur and Hat Kid looked up, and saw sandbags appear and drop on them. Reacting quickly, they stepped aside to avoid being crushed by the dropping bags.

Seeing that the children had avoided the sandbags, the Mafia Boss jumped back on the stage. He continued to use his previous attacks to try and hit them, but they kept dodging his attacks. And every time he turned blue, Arthur or Hat Kid would land a hit on him.

Becoming angrier, the crime lord threw his machetes at the children like boomerangs and attempted to jump on them. However, the duo dodged his attack and Hat Kid proceeded to hit him when he turned blue again. The Mafia Boss growled in anger and jumped at the end of the stage.

"So you keep resisting me? But not for long," the crime lord said as he snapped his finger.

A lever being pulled was heard and the next thing that happened made the two children's eyes widen in shock. Mustache Girl appeared above them, all tied up and suspended in the air at the bottom of a rope. She must have been caught while they were confronting the Mafia Boss in the throne room.

"I've got your friend captured. And soon, you will **all** perish!" the Mafia Boss said with an evil grin.

"Let go of me, you psycho!" Mustache Girl shouted angrily at him while she struggled to break free.

Seeing Mustache Girl tied up made Arthur and Hat Kid furious and they sent a glare toward the Mafia Boss. Their ally was in danger now and that gave them more reasons to not back down in this fight!

The crime lord then continued to use his attacks on the children. And this time, he made his dropping-bag attacks more complicated, as a Mafia man jumped on the stage and charged at the duo.

"Hey, look out!" Arthur shouted at Hat Kid who was distracted by the falling bags. The purple-hatted girl heard him and turned around to see the Mafia man charging at her. Reacting quickly, she jumped over the goon's head before he could run into her. Arthur rolled to the side to dodge him as well. Hat Kid sent Arthur a grateful nod, and the young boy nodded at her in return.

At this point, the Mafia Boss was becoming really furious. He jumped back on stage and growled angrily.

"_**Mafiaaaa Ball!**_" the crime lord shouted.

Numerous Mafia men from the backstage and the theatre seats jumped on stage. Together, they proceeded to form a giant Mafia ball, with the Mafia Boss standing on top of it. Arthur and Hat Kid's jaws dropped in shock. How the hell did they manage to do that?!

Suddenly, the Mafia Boss began to roll the giant Mafia ball towards the duo. The two children backed away in fear. How were they going dodge something _this_ big? They couldn't even try to jump off the stage, the Mafia men in the backstage and on the seats would immediately capture them if they did. However, as they watched the giant ball come closer, they saw that it had a flaw: there was a small gap in it. It seemed like one of the Mafia men was missing there.

Arthur and Hat Kid nodded at each other, both knowing what to do. They ducked in the gap before the giant Mafia ball could roll them over. Once it passed, the duo got up and ran to the other side of the stage. They watched the ball reach the other end and were expecting it to dissolve. However, the Mafia Boss turned around and rolled the ball in the other direction. The duo was forced to hide under the small gap until it passed again.

"Guys! Hit him already!" Mustache Girl shouted, getting impatient. Arthur and Hat Kid both looked at her in annoyance. Hit him? How? The Mafia Boss was too high up to reach him with a jump! How were going to climb up there without being crushed to death?

As Hat Kid watched the giant Mafia ball come back at them, the small space in it suddenly gave her an idea. She and Arthur ducked in the hole again. However, while Arthur remained on the ground, Hat Kid grabbed onto the giant ball and stayed in the gap to try and reach the Mafia Boss. However, a Mafia man suddenly punched her in the face, knocking her off the ball. She fell back on the stage with a groan, and Arthur helped her get back on her feet.

"Just climb up and hit him, you idiots!" Mustache Girl yelled in frustration.

"Shut your damn **mouth**!" Arthur hissed in an irritated tone. God, this girl can be annoying sometimes! He then understood what Hat Kid was trying to do.

"Here, let me try," Arthur suggested. Hat Kid nodded hesitantly. She was hoping he wouldn't get hurt in the process, but she decided to trust him with this nonetheless.

Arthur took a deep breathe and waited for the ball to come back at him, then he ducked in the hole. The young boy did like Hat Kid tried to do before. The same Mafia man who knocked Hat Kid off attempted to punch him as well, but Arthur noticed him and dodged his hit. He then whacked the goon in the head with his crowbar, knocking him out. Arthur was then able to make his way up towards the Mafia Boss without any other trouble. Once he reached his level, the twelve-year-old boy whacked the crime lord across the mouth. The Mafia Boss was knocked back on the stage and the Mafia ball dissolved right after that.

Arthur fell back on the stage. Hat Kid helped him up and gave him a thumbs-up to congratulate him. The young boy was surprised by that, but he nodded in appreciation. The Mafia Boss rubbed his mouth with his hand, trying to ease the pain. He then got up and gave the two children a glare that sent a chill down their spines.

"I'm gonna get you **both**!" the crime lord said furiously. He then began to spin in one place again. "Ultra Charge!".

Electric sparks were thrown at the children again. However, this time, a few sparks were bouncing and the attack was faster. The two children did their best to dodge them, although this was getting intense for the both of them, especially for Arthur who wasn't used to all of this fighting and dodging. He was getting tired really fast at this point. He barely managed to dodge them all, but the crime lord wasn't done yet.

"_**MEGA CHARGE!**_" the Mafia Boss shouted. The electric sparks turned red and they came much faster. The two children panicked as they tried to dodge all of them.

Hat Kid was able to come out of it unscathed. Arthur on the other hand wasn't as lucky. He got hit by the last bouncing spark and he yelled in agony, falling on the ground.

"Arthur!" Mustache Girl shouted in panic.

"AHH, DAMMIT!" Arthur screamed in pain as he moved and rolled on the ground uncontrollably. This kind of pain was even worse than anyone could ever imagine. It was like he was burning from the inside. Tears were starting to fall from his eyes.

Hat Kid gasped when she saw the boy on the ground and she gave the Mafia Boss a death glare. As she did, she noticed that he was dizzy and turned blue again. Seizing the opportunity, she jumped towards the Mafia Boss and whacked him across the face with her umbrella as hard as she could. Upon being hit, the crime lord did a spin and he suddenly felt really dizzy. Impossible... He just lost a fight against two kids...? This is just humiliating...

"It can't... be!" the Mafia Boss said weakly. He then fell backward and passed out on the stage.

Hat Kid blew a raspberry at the unconscious crime lord, then she ran back to Arthur to check on him. The twelve-year-old boy was now sitting. The pain had eased a little, but it still hurt like hell.

"I'm fine. Just... give me a second..." Arthur said as he winced in pain. Hat Kid wanted to help him, but she decided to respect his wish and wait for him to recover.

After a few seconds, the pain went away and Arthur got up to his feet. He saw the Mafia Boss out cold on the floor and his eyes widened. They... did it? They actually managed to beat the Boss of the Mafia? Arthur didn't expect this kind of outcome, but he was glad they did it. Was he dead though? The young boy walked up to him and tried to see if there was a pulse... And he could feel one.

"Well, he's not dead. Just out cold. Good enough for me..." Arthur muttered.

"Great job, you two! Now, uh, can one of you help me get down, please?" Mustache Girl said to catch her two allies's attention. Hat Kid obliged and went in the backstage. She pulled the lever, dropping the red-hooded girl on the stage. Arthur proceeded to untie her and help her up on her feet.

"You know, I think I liked you better when you were all trussed up like a prized chicken. At least we know you're annoying," Arthur said jokingly.

"Ha ha. Very funny, cowboy," Mustache Girl said sarcastically.

The trio turned their head to the Mafia crowd behind them and saw them looking at their unconscious leader dumbfounded. When they noticed the children were looking at them, they all ran out of the theatre, not wanting to suffer the same fate as the Mafia Boss.

"Well... That happened," Arthur said a bit amused. He then noticed something lying next to the Mafia Boss. It was the hourglass that Hat Kid was looking for. It must have fallen from his pocket when he passed out. Well... He might as well let her have it. It belonged to her anyway.

"There's your thing on the ground if you want it," Arthur said to Hat Kid as he stepped away to let her take it. Hat Kid happily picked her Time Piece up.

As she looked at the Time Piece in her hand, her smile suddenly dropped. Arthur had willingly decided to let her take her Time Piece back instead of trying to take it for himself. It confirmed that she was wrong about his intentions this whole time and he never wanted her Time Pieces in the first place. She sighed sadly. Perhaps now was the time to finally apologize to him for the way she had treated him before.

"Arthur?" Hat Kid said cautiously, catching the boy's attention.

"Yeah?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow at her.

"I- Wow!" Hat Kid was suddenly interrupted when someone ran past her, making her spin on the spot for a second. As she recovered from that, she looked at her hands and formed a look of horror on her face. Someone just snatched the Time Piece from her hands! She turned around and saw that Mustache Girl was the one who took it from her.

"So what do these things do, anyway? Are they some sort of rare collector's item for _nerds_?" the red-hooded girl asked curiously and teasingly, as she tossed the strange hourglass up and down with her hand.

"Uh, do you mind? She and I were in the middle of a conversation, girl! And stop playing with that thing, you're gonna break it," Arthur said annoyed by the mustached girl's attitude.

Mustache Girl huffed and said, "Cool your jets, cowboy! I'm not gonna break it-"

However, her sentence was cut short as she failed to catch the hourglass. Hat Kid panicked and tried to catch it before it falls, but she wasn't fast enough and then...

*****_**CRASH!* **_

"Oh, Mustache Girl, you damn fo-" Arthur's sentence was interrupted as time suddenly froze, and the next thing they knew...

"Cool your jets, cowboy! I... wait, huh?"

Mustache Girl was confused. Wasn't she saying that just seconds ago? She looked down and was shocked to see the hourglass on the ground unscathed, like it never broke in the first place.

"Whoa, **WHAT?!**" the red-hooded girl exclaimed in shock. Did that thing just... rewinded time when it broke? Hat Kid was starting to panic. Her friend was now aware of the power of the Time Pieces. It was something she had tried to avoid this whole time. Mustache Girl picked the Time Piece up and looked at Hat Kid with widen eyes.

"Wha... did, uhm... did you know about this?" she asked skeptically.

Hat Kid firmly took the Time Piece from the red-hooded girl's hand and took a few steps back before she nodded nervously. She hoped Mustache Girl wouldn't get any idea. The purple-hatted girl was aware of the side effect that occured when someone other than herself and her species learned about the true power of the Time Pieces.

Arthur was also shocked. So these hourglasses don't summon portals, they rewind time! This must be what the Badge Seller was trying to tell him earlier. But then... if the hourglass that brought him here wasn't Hat Kid's, then who did it belong to?

An awkward silence lasted for a few seconds before a grin appeared on Mustache Girl's face. Ohhh no... Hat Kid knew that look.

"This is crazy! Do you even realize what could be done with these?" the red-hooded girl said to Hat Kid excitedly. "We could make it so that you never got punched in the face by the Mafia earlier!" she said, recalling Hat Kid getting punched by the Mafia man when she tried to climb up the Mafia ball before.

"We could beat up the Mafia, travel back in time, and then beat them up again!" Mustache Girl continued, getting more excited by the second. She then wrapped her arm around Hat Kid and said, "No, wait, we could make it so the Mafia never _arrived_ on the island!". She then gasped as she had another idea. A spotlight shone upon the two children as she continued to speak.

"Wait, wait, wait, even better! We could be crime-fighting time travellers!" she said excitedly as she raised her fist in the air. The red-hooded girl looked at Hat Kid, eagerly waiting for her approval.

However, Hat Kid pushed her arm away and took a few steps back as the spotlight turned off. She looked at the Time Piece in her hands and shook her head firmly, before putting the powerful hourglass in her pocket. Time Pieces aren't meant to be used for such purposes. If they break, there is a risk that an anomaly occurs such as time rifts and it could put the whole universe in danger. No... She wasn't going to let that happen, even if it meant disappointing her friend. Besides, she didn't have time for this. She had to find all other Time Pieces before they fall in the wrong hands. Mustache Girl's jaw dropped in disbelief and she formed an angry look on her face.

"Wait, what?! This doesn't make any sense! You have all this power, and you're not gonna use it to fight evil?" Mustache Girl asked angrily, waving her finger at Hat Kid. The purple-hatted girl shook her head firmly again. The answer was no, and she wasn't going to change her mind.

Mustache Girl couldn't believe it. Hat Kid had the power to rewind time. A power she could use to prevent the Mafia from coming to her island and ruining her town. With that, she could save her family! She could even purge the world from evil guys and become a hero! But no! Hat Kid just wants to keep all the power for herself and her selfish needs! And to think she thought of her as her friend for the first time in a while... The red-hooded girl gritted her teeth and turned away from Hat Kid, crossing her arms.

"If you're not gonna use them to fight evil... then **I will**!" Mustache Girl said bitterly. She then walked up to Hat Kid and pointed her finger at her. "I'm not gonna let this island remain as Mafia Town! I'll collect all the Time Pieces for myself! You have my _**word**_ on it!" she spat angrily, causing Hat Kid to give her a shocked look.

The red-hooded girl turned her attention to Arthur and said, "Come on, Arthur! You and I, we're gonna save the world from bad guys!". She then grabbed the young boy's arm and began to drag him along with her. Arthur winced in pain. This girl had such a strong grip on his arm. It reminded him of the way his dad used to drag him back to the house and punish him whenever he did something 'wrong'.

"_**No!**_" Arthur said angrily as he pulled his arm away from her grip.

"W-What?" Mustache Girl asked shocked. Arthur looked at her sternly.

"I'm not helping you. I've seen enough movies about time travels to know that messing with it is the beginning of the end," Arthur explained sternly, recalling the numerous movies that included time travelling he had watched in the past. And something he learned from them is there are consequences when you go back in time as you may unwillingly change things for the worst. He didn't want to risk causing such things here.

"And besides, we had an agreement! You said you'd help me leave if I helped you with your Mafia mess. The leader is down, I did my part. So I'm gonna hop on a boat and get the hell out of here! I'm not gonna be involved into any more of this nonsense!" the twelve-year-old boy reminded firmly. Mustache Girl better not be going back on her word now. Was it going to be like all those other people who made promises to him only to break them in the end?

Mustache Girl stared at him with a shocked and betrayed look. No... Not him as well! This whole time she was surrounded by traitors?! Hat Kid was also surprised to see Arthur stand up to the red-hooded girl. Mustache Girl let out a frustrated growl before she jumped off the stage and stormed off. Arthur shook his head in disappointment. Yet another promise broken...

"Well, I guess that's that. That doesn't surprise me though... People pretend to care about you for a second, then as soon as they find something better, they turn on you," the twelve-year-old boy said bitterly.

Hat Kid looked at him shocked. People have betrayed him before? Maybe that was why he acted rude and bitter all the time... She put her hands in her pockets as she thought about what he said. However, she suddenly felt that they felt... lighter? She quickly checked them and discovered that half of her pons were missing. Mustache Girl must have pickpocketed them when she wasn't paying attention. She sighed sadly, realizing that the first friend she had made on this planet was now her enemy.

Arthur sighed and said, "Anyway... I better get out of here." He turned to Hat Kid and said, "You should do that too," with a serious expression. The young boy then jumped off the stage and walked away.

Hat Kid stared at Arthur curiously as he continued walking. It was needless to say she was surprised that he refused Mustache Girl's offer. He could have sided with the red-hooded girl if he wanted to, but he didn't, even after everything Hat Kid did to him. He even gave her heads-up during the fight with Mafia Boss whenever she was distracted. He truly wasn't as bad as she first thought he was.

The purple-hatted girl suddenly had an idea. Why not ask him to help her find her Time Pieces? Even though they didn't get along before, Arthur definitely seemed more reasonable than Mustache Girl and he seemed to know not to mess with time itself. Besides, her former friend-turned-enemy was also gonna try to collect all of her Time Pieces, so it was going to be harder now. Therefore, she could definitely use some help. Arthur also showed that he could fight, even though he seemed a little rusty and somewhat anxious.

Suddenly, Hat Kid remembered that Arthur was going to get on a boat and leave. If she wanted to ask him for help, she had to do it now or she might never see him again! Without wasting any more time, she jumped off the stage and ran after Arthur. She catched up with him and grabbed his arm, making the boy turn around to look at her.

"What?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Hat Kid then pointed up. Arthur gave her a confused look before he finally understood what she meant.

"You... want me to go with you on your spaceship?" he asked surprised. Hat Kid nodded. "But I thought you didn't want me around?"

"I'm sorry," Hat Kid said genuinely, finally apologizing for her previous behavior. Arthur was surprised to hear that. This is the first time someone apologized to him for wronging him in some way. He was even suprised by the small girl's offer to take him on her ship. He thought she hated him and didn't want to see him again after the whole Mafia mess. Well... The Mafia will probably double the security at the dock now and they certainly will try to stop him from leaving after what they have done to their leader. So he might as well just go with her.

Arthur sighed and said, "Alright. Lead the way then." Hat Kid smiled at him, then motioned for him to follow her. Arthur did as he was told.

The two children walked outside the Mafia HQ. They noticed the rain had stopped and it was night time. Hat Kid motioned for Arthur to hold her hand. The young boy sighed as he remembered the way the purple-hatted girl used to join her spaceship.

"Just when I thought I wouldn't have to go through that again..." he muttered before grabbing Hat Kid's hand.

The small girl pulled out the Time Piece she retrieved from the Mafia Boss and held it towards the sky. The hourglass glowed brighter and the duo flied up to the sky.

* * *

The two children made it to the spaceship. The place was quiet, aside from the electronic sounds coming from the computers and the sound of Rumbi cleaning up the main room.

Speaking of which, the small robot vaccuum formed an angry expression when it spotted Arthur and began to charge towards him. Hat Kid put herself between the two of them and waved her arms at Rumbi to say that the young boy was no longer a threat. The small robot blinked twice, then formed an happy expression on its face, before going back to cleaning up the room.

"Quite the little guy you got there," Arthur said to Hat Kid as he watched Rumbi leave.

The twelve-year-old boy then walked up to the large window and stared at the planet below. Now that he had managed to escape Mafia Town – though not the way he originally planned – he was trying to think of what he will do next. It didn't look like he was going home anytime soon and he didn't want to overstay his welcome in Hat Kid's spaceship. Not to mention he still wasn't sure if he could trust the small girl. Sure, she may have apologized to him before, but he still hadn't forgotten the way he had treated him before. He just wasn't sure about her anymore... He had a hard time trusting others due to how he was treated in the past, and it was even harder to trust someone who acted so hostile towards him before. His trusting issues were going as far as he wondered if Hat Kid truly felt sorry for how she behaved in the first place. It didn't matter though, he wasn't going to stay long. Perhaps he could look for a place on the planet to settle down for a while.

Arthur snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a tug on his arm. He turned around and saw Hat Kid handing out a piece of paper to him. The young boy took it and read it. It said 'Help me look for Time Pieces, please?'. At the end of the sentence there was a small pleading face drawn, and there was a Time Piece drawn under the sentence.

Arthur gave Hat Kid a surprised look. She wanted _him_ to help her retrieve the Time Pieces she lost? Now he certainly didn't expect her to ask that to him... The twelve-year-old boy sighed and shook his head.

"Look, kid, I thought I made myself clear earlier. I don't want to be involved into any of this. I'm just trying to go home... or find a new one at least," Arthur explained, correcting himself in the last sentence. At this point, he wasn't sure if he could even go back to his old world. Well, perhaps it wasn't so bad, considering he hated it. One thing was certain, he didn't want to get involved into more craziness or danger.

"Help me, and I'll help you," Hat Kid pleaded, trying to change the boy's mind. Arthur shook his head again.

"No. No, don't start making promises you won't keep. I've had my share of folks doing that before," the twelve-year-old boy said with a serious expression. "Take Mustache Girl as an example. She made a promise to me that she would help me leave if I helped her with her Mafia problem. And she _**broke**_ it! What proves that you will be any different from her?" he added bitterly.

Hat Kid knew she could prove him wrong on that. The big difference is she **always** respected the promises she made. Besides, after being around Arthur for a while, she had noticed that he seemed lost and depressed. Not to mention she had witnessed his panic attacks. The young boy really seemed to be struggling right now, so perhaps she could help him with that too. Hat Kid always liked to help others when she could, so she could probably do the same for him.

The purple-hatted girl made a cross motion on her chest with her finger and raised her other hand. Arthur immediately understood the gesture: she was making an oath that she would never break her promise and that she would help him get back home or find another one for him if she can't. Arthur sighed in defeat. Alright, he will give her a chance... But if she ends up breaking her promise too, he will be done giving people chances for good.

"Fine, I'll help you get your Time Pieces back." Arthur said. Hat Kid grinned upon hearing that. She was happy that she now had a friend to help her on her quest for Time Pieces. The young boy suddenly looked at her dead serious.

"But on one condition: we ain't friends! Just allies. Partners. Teammates. Whatever you wanna call it. And that remains that until the end. Is that clear?" Arthur said sternly. Hat Kid slowly nodded. She understood he probably needed time to get used to being around her, considering they were enemies before. Although she hoped that she would be able to gain his trust someday.

"Good," Arthur said with a firm nod. Suddenly, he felt his stomach growl again. He still hadn't eaten anything since he arrived here. At this point, he was starving. He couldn't wait any longer to eat now.

He looked at Hat Kid pleadingly and asked, "Can I... have something to eat, please?". The purple-hatted girl nodded. "Thank you. And this time, I'd like to eat with my hands free please," he added, recalling how Hat Kid had brought him food when he was tied up and left him with no way to eat it.

The small girl rubbed the back of her head guiltily, then she went to the kitchen to fetch him some food. Hat Kid came back seconds laters with not just one, but _two_ slices of pizza. She added it to make it up to Arthur for the way she had treated him when they first met. She handed the plate to the young boy who gladly took it.

"Thanks," he simply said, before walking away to eat alone.

"Hat Kid," the purple-hatted girl suddenly said. The twelve-year-old boy stopped in his tracks and looked at her in confusion.

"What?" Arthur asked with a puzzled expression.

"My name is Hat Kid," she answered. Arthur slowly nodded.

"Arthur Jones," the young boy said. He then walked away to eat his pizza alone.

Hat Kid smiled as she watched him leave. Even though he said he didn't want to be friends with her, he still told her his full name. That was definitely a step in the right direction. She figured that it was just a matter of time before he would open up to her a little more. Mustache Girl may have become her enemy, but now she had Arthur as an ally. It was kinda funny, considering it was the other way around at first.

Now all she needed to do was to look through every nook and cranny of this strange planet for the rest of her Time Pieces before Mustache Girl finds them first. Hopefully with Arthur at her sides, this would be easier.

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm finally back from my vacation! I enjoyed it! I admit it was... very hot there, but at least I was able to relax for a bit. And now, I'm back, which means I'll be able to continue this story again! ^^**

**So this chapter was... longer. I guess the Mafia Boss fight was what made it longer. But that's okay! I can't guarantee the next chapters will be like that though. I guess it depends of the amount of content I wanna put in the chapter. We'll see.**

**Anyway, it's time for reviews, everyone!**

_**To Katoptris12: **_**I'm okay. It was sad indeed, but I'm alright.**

_**To Maoshin:**_** I wanted to make a bit of progress in the story before leaving for my vacation. Like I said before, I'm okay. And no problem! :)**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Thank you! Enjoy your trip!**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** You ship them? Oh my goodness! Well, I don't ship them, but I'm not gonna stop you if you want to. XD And thanks! It means a lot! ^^**

**Alright, that's it for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Hat Kid stretched her arms as she let out a yawn. She was waking up after a night of sleep following the battle against the Mafia Boss. After all of this fighting and dodging around had tired her out, but she was feeling better after sleeping for the night. She hadn't been able to go in her bedroom though, since the door was still locked. She needed seven Time Pieces to unlock it, and she had only found four so far. So for now, she had to use a few pillows she found laying around in the main room as a temporary bed until she gets enough Time Pieces to access her bedroom.

Speaking of which, now Hat Kid had enough Time Pieces to unlock the access to the machine room. She remembered she still needed to check if the machines haven't suffered any damage from the vaccuum of space just in case. If she hadn't been so tired the night before, she would have done it as soon as she had returned.

Getting up to her feet, she made her way to the panel next to the machine room's door and pressed it to restore the power in the room. After that, she headed inside and proceeded to check the machines. Thankfully, nothing seemed wrong with them. They will perfectly be able to function once she finds all of her Time Pieces.

Satisfied, she made her way back in the main room. Her eyes landed on the pile of pillow where Arthur was still sleeping on it, his cowboy hat off to the side. Last night, after eating his slices of pizza, the twelve-year-old boy had used some of the pillows that Hat Kid found to make himself a bed at the corner of the room. After that, he had immediately faceplanted on the pillows and passed out of exhaustion. It was needless to say that everything he went through the day before had been really tiring for him. Hat Kid couldn't help but giggle at the thought.

As much as she wanted to let him sleep a little more, he had to wake up so they could start looking for Time Pieces together. A mischevious smile appeared on Hat Kid's face as an idea came through her mind. She picked up one of her pillows and discreetly made her way to Arthur's side. She then hit the boy's face with the pillow, letting out a giggle after doing that. Arthur let out a tired groan as he was pulled out of his slumber. Slightly opening his eyes, he looked up and saw Hat Kid looking at him with a smug face and a pillow in her hand.

"Go away..." he mumbled in a tired and annoyed voice, grabbing a nearby pillow and covering his head with it. Hat Kid wasn't going to have it though. She had to start looking for Time Pieces now before Mustache Girl collect them first, and she really needed Arthur's help to find them faster.

The purple-hatted girl began to repeatedly whack him with her pillow to make him get up. After a few seconds, Arthur grew irritated and he threw his pillow at Hat Kid's face in retaliation, causing her to stop. He sat up and gave her an annoyed look.

"I don't remember asking you for a waking-up commitee, miss," Arthur said unamused. Hat Kid pouted at him in response.

"But whatever, I'm awake now so..." Arthur said as he put his hat back on his head and got up. "I suppose we're heading out to find your Time Pieces?" he asked. Hat Kid nodded, then pointed at the kitchen. Arthur gave her a confused look.

"The kitchen? Why are you... Oh... You mean you wanna have some breakfast first?" Arthur asked. Hat Kid nodded with a smile.

"Alright, fine by me," Arthur said with a shrug. He had to admit, he was still a little hungry. The pizza from last night had helped him a bit, but not enough. A little breakfast might do the trick before going back on the planet.

The two children headed in the kitchen. As they headed to the fridge, Arthur noticed that there was some burnt food in the microwave. The young boy asked Hat Kid why it was in there, and the small girl responded that she put the food in there to punish it because it had been 'bad'. Arthur was confused by that, but he decided to not question it. Looking in the fridge, the boy could see some weird-looking food with strange colors and... eyes? Well, Hat Kid was an alien so it made sense she would have some alien food as well. Thankfully, she still had some food that seemed edible for a human.

After eating some breakfast, the duo went back in the main room. Now was the time to go look for Time Pieces. Suddenly, Hat Kid snapped her fingers as she remembered something, before turning around to look at Arthur. She pointed at herself, then at him to tell him she had something to show him. The twelve-year-old boy nodded, giving her his full attention. Hat Kid pulled out her umbrella and four yarns. She then threw the yarns in the air and made quick movements on them, just like she did for her Sprint Hat. After a few seconds, she stopped and a brand new hat appeared.

"Tada!" Hat Kid said as she happily caught it in her hand. It looked like a purple and yellow witch hat with two small flasks – with bubbles escaping from them – attached to it.

"A witch hat? You trying to cast spells now?" Arthur asked jokingly. Hat Kid giggled in amusement, then shook her head. "Alright, so what does it do then?" Arthur asked more seriously, remembering that those hats she makes grant her abilities.

Hat Kid switched her top hat with the new one. She pulled out two bottles containing strange liquids and emptied one's content in the other one. She agitated the bottle to mix the liquids together, and proceeded to throw it at some crates at the corner of the room. The bottle exploded on the impact, destroying the crates. Hat Kid smiled as she knew what name to give the hat. She will call it the Brewing Hat! She switched back to her normal hat and looked back at Arthur. She grinned when she saw the look on his face. The young boy was impressed by her new ability.

"So you can make concoctions to blow stuff up? Interesting. Just make sure not to throw one near me, I don't wanna be accidentally turned into a frog," he joked, making Hat Kid laugh at the thought.

**"Alert. Time Rift detected."**

Both children jumped at the sudden alarm. While Arthur was confused by this, Hat Kid was starting to panic. A Time Rift? Oh, that didn't sound good...

"Time Rift? What is that?" Arthur asked curiously.

Without saying a word, Hat Kid ran back in the machine room. Curious, Arthur ran after her. When he entered the room, he looked around in awe as he saw all the machines and the gears present in this room. All of this was very impressive. He wondered how many time and resources it took to build the spaceship. Years, probably... Well, he had no time to think about that. He had to find Hat Kid and learn more about those 'Time Rifts'. From the way she reacted, it didn't sound good.

He walked a bit further and saw Hat Kid looking through a bookshelf. He watched her take a book and walk back towards him. She opened the book and searched for the right page. Once she found it, she handed the book to Arthur, and he took it. He began to read the section.

_'Time Rifts are tears in reality that only appear when a Time Piece is damaged and/or broken. If a Time Rift is not sealed, time itself will be altered and corrupted. When a Time Rift is formed, the Time Piece that caused it will automatically be sent into the rift for repairs._

_In order to seal the Time Rift, one needs to locate the repaired Time Piece and bring it back to reality. There are two types of Time Rifts: blue and purple. Blue time rifts only require one to gain the Time Piece. If a purple unstable Time Rift appears, follow these steps:_

_1\. Locate the tear and enter it cautiously._

_2\. Navigate through the tear to the source._

_3\. Destroy the rift and grab the repaired Time Piece._

_4\. Exit before it fully seals.'_

Arthur's eyes widened as he took the information in. Like he imagined, there were consequences to the usage of those hourglasses. It probably explained Hat Kid's hostility with him when they first met. In the end, she was just trying to protect her Time Pieces and prevent this kind of thing from happening. If Arthur was in her shoes, he would probably have done the same.

"I see. This is serious indeed... I guess we better take care of it before it becomes a real problem. But how do we know where to find it?" Arthur asked. Hat Kid motioned for him to follow her.

The duo made their way back in the main room. Hat Kid ran up to the main computer and pressed a few buttons. The computer searched for the rift's informations and came up with a result.

_Rift Status: Blue._

_Localization: Mafia Town._

A picture also appeared on the computer screen. It showed a blue glowing orb at the exit of a broken pipe in an alleyway. No doubt it was the Time Rift in question.

"Mafia Town, huh? Never thought we'd have to go back there, but it seems like we have no choice so... let's just get this over with," Arthur said with a shrug. Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

Without wasting any more time, the two children made their way to the hatch and hopped down to the planet, aiming for Mafia Town.

* * *

It was morning in Mafia Town. Despite the events that occured in the Mafia HQ last night, the Mafia men continued doing their business as if nothing happened. The stores were opened, the goons and the crows were still roaming in the streets. Some Mafia men were even taking naps.

Arthur and Hat Kid landed on the edge of the building where the geyser was coming out of. Their objective: find the blue Time Rift and seal it before it becomes worse. The-twelve-year-old boy nervously looked above the edge to see how high they were.

"You know, you could've have picked a better place to land. Like, I don't know, in the street," Arthur said in a nervous tone. Hat Kid only shrugged as to say 'It's not so bad!'. The young boy sighed. Obviously she wasn't aware of his fear of heights. Either way, he had no plan on telling her anytime soon. He didn't want her to make fun of him for that.

Hat Kid looked to the side and her eyes widened as she spotted a golden vault next to her. She tugged on Arthur's arm to get his attention. The boy turned his head and saw what Hat Kid wanted to show him.

"A golden vault? What is it doing up here?" Arthur asked with a puzzled expression. Hat Kid only shrugged in response. The twelve-year-old boy went closer to inspect it.

"Huh... This seems important. It might have something valuable in it," he stated as he continued to inspect the vault. Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

The thing is they had no time to find out at the moment. They had to find the Time Rift as quickly as possible. And yet, Hat Kid couldn't resist the desire to open the vault and see what was inside. A smile appeared on her face as an idea came through her mind. She pointed at Arthur and tapped on the golden vault, before pointing at herself, then at the rest of Mafia Town.

"Oh, you want me to open this vault while you go take care of the rift?" Arthur asked, earning a nod from Hat Kid. He shrugged and said, "Alright then."

Arthur pulled out his crowbar and attempted to pry the vault open with it. He pulled as hard as he could but the vault remained shut tight, causing Arthur to curse under his breath.

"Swear!" Hat Kid teasingly called out on the boy's language.

"Shut up..." Arthur said as he rolled his eyes. He stopped and stated, "I can't force that thing open. I have to find another way to open it."

Arthur looked at Hat Kid to see her scribbling something on a piece of paper. Once she was done, she handed it over to the twelve-year-old boy who took it. 'Find vault code tickets!' was written on it, along with the drawing of a ticket with the words 'Mafia Vault Code' on it.

"Alright, and where am I supposed to find those codes?" Arthur asked. Hat Kid shrugged.

"So I have to search the whole town to find some pieces of paper then. Fantastic..." he said sarcastically. Hat Kid rolled her eyes in annoyance. Seriously, does he ever stop complaining all the time? She understands that he might not be happy with being involved into this, but he doesn't have to always act like that. It's annoying! Oh well... She will just have to get used to it.

"Well... I'm gonna get started then. You go and deal with that rift," Arthur said. Hat Kid nodded and walked away to search for the Time Rift.

Arthur looked at the whole town from his position. He let out a discouraged sigh as he imagined all the possible places the codes could be on this big island. This was going to take a while...

* * *

After finding a way down from the building, Arthur immediately started searching around town for the codes to open the golden vault. He had no idea how much time it would take to find them, and he wasn't going to ask the Mafia goons where they were keeping them. He knew they wouldn't appreciate him taking one of their treasures and they were probably still mad at him for his involvement in defeating the Mafia Boss.

He navigated through town for a while and was starting to get frustrated. How could he even find the codes on this Mafia-filled island? There were hundreds of places where they could be! Just when he thought about giving up, something suddenly caught his attention. There was a small golden-colored ticket on the ground. Arthur's eyes widened. He picked it up and read it to see if his eyes weren't fooling him, and they didn't. There was a number followed by three empty spaces on this ticket. No doubt, it was one of the vault codes that he was looking for! It must have been taken by the wind and landed here. Talk about luck.

The other ones must have scattered someplace else. Judging by the three empty spaces on the vault code, there was three tickets left to find. Well, he got one so far, so that was a good start. He just had to keep looking.

Arthur was about to leave when he looked up and caught sight of something familiar. Oh... It was the abandoned house that Mustache Girl showed him the day before. The young boy formed a sad look and lowered his head as he remembered the story she told him. The Mafia arriving on the island, trashing the whole town, launching people away with cannons, capturing Mustache Girl's family and launching them away to their doom.

The twelve-year-old boy couldn't help but feel bad for the red-hooded girl. Sure, she may have broken her promise and betrayed him and Hat Kid, but she still went through a lot in the past. Her anger and hatred towards the Mafia just kept building up until it turned into a desire for revenge. She had lost everything that ever mattered to her... just like he did.

**"It is tragic what happened to this girl, is it not?"** a familiar voice asked sadly. Arthur quickly looked on his right side and saw the Badge Seller staring at the abandoned house with a sad look. The young boy sighed. At this point, he should start expecting them to appear out of nowhere to start a conversation with him.

"Yeah, it is..." Arthur answered sadly.

**"She has lost so much. The pain she went through is understandable... but she is lost and misguided. There is no doubt she will do some... irrational actions..."** the Badge Seller continued.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking..." Arthur said as he shook his head. From the moment Mustache Girl said she wanted to get revenge on the Mafia, he knew that it only meant trouble. And the fact that the red-hooded girl swore to find all of the Time Pieces and use them for such purpose only seemed to confirm his worries.

"And I fear it has already started... She said she would collect all of the hourglasses for herself and use them to fight evil. I mean, I understand her hatred for the Mafia, but 'revenge'? This is just gonna cause trouble, I know that well," he added. _Too_ well even...

The Badge Seller nodded and said, **"So now you know what the Time Pieces are and the power they contain."** Arthur sighed sadly.

"Yeah, I do. They rewind time. It sounds crazy but... you have to see it to believe it," the twelve-year-old boy said, before looking at the Badge Seller curiously. "By the way, how did you know what the hourglasses are and the power they have?"

**"Like I said, I have my ways to know,"** the glitchy vendor only responded with a smile. Arthur sighed. Of course they would say that. **"I saw that you were with the little girl with the hat now."**

"Yeah, I'm helping her retrieve her Time Pieces. She actually begged me to help her, which is surprising since... well... she and I didn't get along before," Arthur explained.

**"She must have seen that you have some potential and were worth befriending, even after everything that happened between the two of you,"** the Badge Seller said with a smile. Arthur chuckled dryly.

"Me? I'm a mess. And a jerk..." Arthur said with a depressed tone. He was aware that he acted rude towards everyone he met and was undoubtly seen a jerk. Heck, he _knew_ he was a jerk. He had just come to accept it over the time. Besides, this is how others have treated him for a long time. So why bother trying to be nice?

**"I am sure you have your reasons to act the way you do. She certainly thinks so too,"** the Badge Seller reassured him.

"Maybe... But I don't want to be friends with her or anyone else. I just don't trust people anymore. I just can't..." Arthur said sadly.

**"It is understable. Trusting people is not easy when most have put you through a lot, but not everyone is the same, Arthur. You should try to give your new friend a chance,"** the Badge Seller suggested.

"Maybe... We'll see," Arthur said with doubt clearly present in his tone.

Seeing that the young boy was still unconvinced by their words, the Badge Seller decided to change the topic.

**"I may have something that might interest you, and I believe you will need it in your quest to find the Time Pieces, young man,"** the Badge Seller said as they pulled something out of their pocket. It was a yellow badge with a purple hat drawn on it. Strangely enough, the drawing exactly looked like Hat Kid's top hat.

**"You might encounter a lot of danger in your way. More dangerous than the Mafia. This badge will allow you to use the same fighting abilities as your friend. With it, you will be able to double jump, dive, do homing attacks, and keep your balance on tightropes,"** they explained. **"I would normally sell it for 1000 pons, but for you, I will only sell it for 50 pons."**

"For me? Why?" Arthur asked with a puzzled expression. Why would this guy just considerably lower the price of an expensive and powerful item for him? The Badge Seller only smiled at him in response.

**"Because I know you will need it and you probably do not have a lot of pons at the moment, so I am making an exception,"** they answered.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at them, then shrugged. Well, it was true that he didn't have a lot of pons right now. Besides, if he was going to help Hat Kid retrieve her Time Pieces, some new abilities would come in handy. He pulled out a bag of 50 pons that Hat Kid had given him the night before and gave it to the Badge Seller. They took it and handed the badge to the young boy.

**"Just put it on your hat and you will be able to use it,"** the Badge Seller explained. Arthur removed his hat and pinned the badge on it. He placed the hat back on his head and somehow felt like he could do much more in terms of fights and movements now.

"Thank you-" Arthur tried to thank the Badge Seller, but once again they were gone without a trace. The twelve-year-old boy sighed. This guy just kept coming and going without a warning. He will really need to get used to it.

Well, perhaps he should get back on track now. Arthur took one last glance at Mustache Girl's former house before he sighed and walked away to continue searching for the other vault codes.

* * *

Hat Kid had been navigating through town for a while in search for the Time Rift. And finally, she was able to locate it. It was at the exit of the sewer pipe near the construction site. The small girl was nervous as she stared at the blue glowing orb. She had never been in a Time Rift before. All of her missions so far have always been about retrieving lost Time Pieces on different planets, but fixing Time Rifts was something new to her. She had no idea what to expect. Hat Kid shook her head and formed a determined expression on her face. Now was not the time to chicken out, she had to fix this rift or it was going to get worse and put time itself in danger.

Taking a deep breath, she jumped forward and touched the rift with her hand. Time suddenly froze for her and light beams emanated from the orb, then Hat Kid's vision turned white.

Her vision slowly returned to normal after a few seconds. Her eyes widened as she took a look at her surroundings. She wasn't in Mafia Town anymore. Instead, she was standing on a white and blue-jeweled platform with a lamppost. Ahead of her were more of these platforms. Some rotated and looked like gears while others opened like drawers from inside a large wall. All around her was the blue vast time-space itself and an underwater sort of atmosphere as bubbles floated around her. In the distance, she could spot large clock towers and some flying whales. Everything in this place looked so peaceful, despite being part of a Time Rift.

"Whoaaaa..." Hat Kid said in awe.

As she spoke, some bubbles came out of her mouth. The small girl was surprised to see that. It was like she was underwater, except she could breathe and gravity worked the same as in the real world. She blew a few more bubbles with her mouth and giggled. This was really fun!

Hat Kid then shook her head, remembering why she was here in the first place. From a distance, she spotted a glowing light just far ahead, which she concluded was the repaired Time Piece. With a nod, she immediately started to make her way through the platforms. She climbed all the obstacles and jumped from platforms to platforms, until she reached the top where the Time Piece was.

With a smile, she grabbed it and held it in the air. It glew brighter and Hat Kid's vision became white once again. When it cleared, the purple-hatted girl found herself in Mafia Town near the broken pipe again. She looked at the spot where the Time Rift was and noticed that it was gone. She grinned and proudly put her hands on her hips, knowing that the rift was fixed and was no longer a problem.

Now that it was dealt with, she had to find Arthur and see how he was doing with the vault codes.

**A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you enjoyed this new chapter! So I've decided to write 'The Golden Vault' act before 'Heating Up Mafia Town' as it would go along much better with the Time Rift's appearance. So while Arthur is trying to find all vault codes, Hat Kid went to fix the Time Rift.**

**Also, Arthur now has his first badge and the same abilities as Hat Kid, which he will definitely need for the rest of this adventure. I don't know what you guys think about it, but I figured it would be a good addition for Arthur. Especially since he isn't used to fighting and jumping around. I mean, he almost died at some point.**

**Anyway, time to answer reviews!**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far! ^^ I already know what director I will choose to win and how to put it all together. However, it won't happen until I start the 'Battle of the Birds' chapter. And before I start that, I'd like to write the rest of the 'Mafia Town' chapter (except for 'Cheating the Race' as Hat Kid will need the Time Stop Hat for this one, and she will only be able to unlock it later in the story). And no, I'm not gonna include Death Wish in this story, it would be too long to include in the story (it will already be long enough with the DLCs in it. ^^;). But if I end up writing a sequel for this story (not confirmed yet), I'll make sure to mention it in this one.**

_**To Katoptris12, Maoshin, Mad King C and Mr. Mega1423:**_** Thank you all! I'm glad to be back! ^^**

**Alright, that's it for today, folks! See you in the next chapter!**


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Arthur continued looking around town for the vault codes. Along the way, he decided to put the new badge that the Badge Seller gave him to the test. Thanks to it, he was able to reach places he would normally be unable to go to with the double jump and the dive ability. Arthur was really impressed to be able to do that now. Though, he wasn't used to these new abilities and that caused him to faceplant in the wall more than once. Some Mafia men saw that and snickered, but Arthur simply brushed them off.

After some more training, the young boy continued to search for the codes. He was able to find a second code on top of a house, then another one on a delivery ship at the dock. However, after retrieving the latter, he got ambushed by two Mafia men who immediately recognized him and tried to attack him as revenge for what he did to the Mafia Boss. Normally, he would have been overpowered. But thanks to the new badge, he was able to try out the homing attacks – remembering how Hat Kid did them – and he knocked out both goons. The yound boy was surprised with the outcome, but he was happy with it.

Now he had three code tickets out of four. Just one left! He went back to the market and saw one stuck on a tightrope that was high up in the air. His face grew pale, remembering the first time he had tried to stand on a tightrope and it almost ended badly for him.

He could feel his anxiety kicking in and felt himself being on the verge of hyperventilating. However, he took some deep breathes and took a moment to calm down. No... He **had** to do it! He didn't collect all of those codes to just give up at the finish line! With a determined look, he jumped on one of the umbrellas to give himself a boost and was able to reach the tightrope. When he landed on it, he expected to lose his footing and fall, but he suprisingly was able to quickly regain his balance. He took a step forward, then another one, and another... and another...

Arthur couldn't believe it! He was litterally walking on tightrope with such ease, almost like he had done that his whole life! The Badge Seller did mention that the badge also gave the ability to walk on tightropes. So that was that. Eventually, the twelve-year-old boy reached the code ticket and picked it up. He then used one of the umbrellas to soften his fall and hopped down on the ground.

Arthur touched the badge on his hat and thought, _'Thank you, Badge Seller,'_ with a smile. Now that he had all code numbers, he could go back to the golden vault and open it.

"Little hat boy?" a voice suddenly asked from behind him. Arthur turned around and saw a Mafia man looking at him curiously.

"Uhh... yeah?" Arthur asked nervously, preparing himself to pull out his crowbar in case the goon tried to attack him.

"Don't be alarmed, Mafia won't hurt you," the Mafia man reassured him.

"Why not?" Arthur asked skeptically, still keeping his defensive stance.

"Mafia just want to talk. Mafia saw little boy at bar last night," The Mafia goon explained.

"At the bar?" Arthur asked confused. Suddenly, his eyes widened in realization. "Wait... Are you the barman I talked to last night?" The goon nodded with a smile.

"Yes. Mafia talked to you to give advice before little boy fought boss at theatre," the Mafia barman said. Arthur rubbed the back of his hand nervously upon hearing the last statement.

"Yeah... About that... Uhm..." the twelve-year-old boy said in a nervous tone. The Mafia barman shook his head.

"Little boy not worry, Mafia sure you had reasons. You don't look like you wanted to fight him anyway," the Mafia barman said in a reassuring tone.

Arthur gave him a surprised look. This man who is part of the Mafia actually understands his reasons for fighting the Mafia Boss? If it wasn't a trick, then he must be the nicest and most understanding goon of the Mafia. Nicer than anyone he had met in his home world.

"Mafia just have question. What happened to boss after you and little hat girl defeated him?" the Mafia barman asked curiously. Arthur raised an eyebrow at him.

"The Mafia Boss? Well, we didn't kill him. We simply left him on the stage after the fight. Wasn't he there?" Arthur asked in a curious tone. The goon shook his head.

"When Mafia went to check stage, boss wasn't there no more. Mafia haven't seen him since," the Mafia barman explained. Arthur looked down with a thoughtful expression as he put his hand on his chin. The Mafia Boss was missing? That was strange indeed...

"Well, if I see him anywhere, I'll... let you know," Arthur said hesitantly.

He didn't really want to go look around for the Mafia Boss since the latter had literally tried to kill him before. And since he and Hat Kid had defeated and probably humiliated him in front the whole Mafia crowd, there was no doubt the Mafia Boss would want to take revenge on him for what happened. However, since this Mafia goon had tried to help him the night before, the least he could do is tell him where his boss was if he sees him.

"Thank you, little hat boy," the Mafia barman said with an appreciative smile. "Now Mafia must be leaving. Need to go work. Mafia hope to see little boy again soon."

"Alright. See you," Arthur said. The Mafia barman then walked away.

The young boy put his hand on his chin, thinking about what the barman just said about the Mafia Boss. It's weird that he would simply disappear like that. Neither him or Hat Kid touched him after he fell unconscious at the end of their battle. It could be Mustache Girl's doing, but Arthur saw her leave the theatre before them to look for the Time Pieces and collect them for herself. Going back to kidnap the Mafia Boss wouldn't make sense as it would only slow her down. But then again, if Mustache Girl was so keen on getting revenge on the Mafia, then maybe she did do it...

Arthur was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt a tug on his arm. He turned around and saw Hat Kid standing there with a smile and a Time Piece in her hand.

"Hey. I take it you fixed the rift?" Arthur asked. Hat Kid nodded happily.

"Good. I've been able to find all the codes, so we can go back to the vault now," Arthur said as he pulled out the four code tickets to show them to her. Hat Kid gave him a thumbs-up to congratulate him.

The purple-hatted girl then noticed the badge on Arthur's hat and pointed at it in curiosity.

"Oh, this? The Badge Seller gave it to me. You'll find that strange, but it actually gives me the same abilities as you. Now I can double jump, dive, do homing attacks, and stand on tightropes. Comes in handy," Arthur explained as he touched the badge on his hat.

Hat Kid raised an eyebrow in wonder. A badge that gives the same abilities as her? How was the Badge Seller aware of her abilities and how was he able to recreate them into badges? This glitchy guy was definitely mysterious... Hat Kid then shrugged. Oh well, if it helped Arthur, then she didn't mind.

"Anyway, we should go open the vault and see what's inside," Arthur reminded her. Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

* * *

The two children were at the top of the building where the golden vault was again. With the code tickets in hand, Arthur turned the wheel of the vault to get the four numbers he needed in the correct order. Each time he got a number right, a click could be heard, signaling that a lock was removed. Hat Kid could barely stand in one place as she watched her ally unlock the vault. She was so eager to see what treasure was waiting inside.

After the last clicking sound, the vault was unlocked and Arthur opened it. His eyes widened as he looked inside it.

"Well, there's a sight for sore eyes," Arthur said with a smile as he went to pick up the mysterious treasure. Hat Kid gave him a puzzled look, until she saw him pull something of interest out of the vault. A Time Piece!

Arthur smiled at her and said, "Guess we made the right call by checking this vault out." He handed her the Time Piece and the small girl happily took it. "So that's, what, six Time Pieces out of... uhh... wait, how many do you have to find overall?" Hat Kid's smile dropped upon hearing Arthur's question. She took a deep breathe as she prepared herself to say the fatal sentence.

"Fifty-six..." Hat Kid said as she grimaced a little. Arthur felt like his eyes were gonna pop out of his skulls as he heard that.

"_**FIFTY-SIX?!**_" Arthur shouted in shock, causing Hat Kid to cover her ears at the sound of his yell. "How the hell are we gonna find them all? They could be anywhere on the planet at this point! And who knows who might have them now!" he ranted. Hat Kid gave him an irritated look that said 'I know that, but that's the way it is!'.

Arthur sighed in discouragement. He never imagined having to find _this_ many Time Pieces! This was going to take a while to retrieve them all, and they don't know who might have gotten their hands on them. Not to mention that they had some competition with Mustache Girl. Heck, maybe she already found some and they would have to take them from her too! Arthur took a deep breathe to calm himself down, then he gave Hat Kid an apologetic look.

"Sorry, I just... I didn't imagine we'd have to find so many..." the twelve-year-old boy apologized. Hat Kid smiled at him and gave him a thumbs-up to tell him that it was okay.

Arthur sighed and said, "Well... I guess I'm gonna keep helping you find the rest of them. You and I have an agreement after all." Hat Kid nodded, relieved that he was still going to help her despite this newfound information.

"Anyway, we should probably bring these two Time Pieces back to your spaceship for safety. We can continue looking later on. I think I need some time to think first..." Arthur said in sad tone. Hat Kid gave him a worried look, but decided not to push it. He probably just needed some time to process all of this, which she didn't blame him for.

Hat Kid held the Time Piece in the air and Arthur grabbed her hand. The duo then flew up toward the sky. As they did, they were unaware that a certain feline figure had watched them and listened to their conversation from afar.

"So these little ones live on a spaceship? Maybe I could visit them to see how they are doing," they said to themselves as they watched Arthur and Hat Kid disappear in the blue sky.

* * *

When Hat Kid got back on her spaceship, she immediately put the two Time Pieces back in her vault. She then decided to respect Arthur's need and give the two of them some time to rest. The small girl played a video game on her TV until she had enough. Then she decided to play with her dolls for a bit.

While she was playing, she looked up and saw Arthur sitting at the corner of the room, focused on scribbling something on a piece of paper. She had a curious expression on her face as she stared at him. Hat Kid knew that Arthur didn't want the two of them to be friends, but she still wanted to get to know him better. Besides, since they were working together on finding these Time Pieces, it would be awkward if none of them spoke a word to each other when they were inside the spaceship. The purple-hatted girl figured that knowing his interests could probably help them build a friendship as she could do a few things to surprise him and hopefully gain the boy's trust.

Hat Kid put her dolls away and walked up to Arthur's side. The young boy was so focused on his paper that he didn't notice the girl approaching him. Standing to his side, she peeked over Arthur's shoulder and was able to see what he was doing. He was drawing what looked like a character she had never seen before with a hat, about the same style as Arthur's, some strange outfit and a weapon she couldn't identify. The drawing was uncolored and some details weren't finished, and yet Hat Kid couldn't help but feel impressed by the boy's drawing skills. Did Arthur like to draw often? That's amazing! She also likes to draw, except she was more of a painter.

Suddenly, Arthur felt like he was being watched and he looked to his side to see Hat Kid standing there, looking at his drawing. He quickly covered it with his hand and gave her an annoyed look.

"Hey! What are you doing here? Have you ever heard of personal space, girl?" Arthur asked in an irritated tone. Hat Kid rubbed the back of her head sheepishly and shrugged to say 'Sorry, I was just curious!'. Arthur sighed. Well... She saw the drawing, so he might as well just show it to her now. He removed his hand from the drawing, letting it in full view for the small girl to see.

"I'm drawing a cowboy. It's a character I've seen in movies that I... really like. I'm a big fan of anything related to the Wild West," Arthur relucantly explained, fearing that Hat Kid might make fun of his preferences.

Cowboy? Wild West? Hat Kid wasn't sure what they were. She had never seen a 'cowboy' before. Though she heard Mustache Girl call Arthur that multiple times, so maybe it had something to do with the hat? She will have to check that stuff out on the computer later to learn more about it.

"Everyone says it's old and dumb, just like my drawings... So go on ahead, say it if you wanna say it. I'm used to it anyway, so I don't care..." Arthur said with a defeated sigh.

Hat Kid looked at him shocked. People said his drawings were dumb? What are they talking about? His drawings are amazing! Just look at the one he is making right now! It's so good, and his other drawings must be the same! The people who said that must be either mean or just plain dumb! The small girl shook her head, then pointed at Arthur's drawing while giving a thumbs-up with her other hand. The twelve-year-old boy gave her a surprised look.

"You... like it?" Arthur asked shocked. Hat Kid nodded with a smile. "Wow... Well... You might be the first one to like my drawings then," he muttered as he went back to drawing.

Upon hearing that, Hat Kid's eyes widened. No one has ever liked his drawings before? Wow, wherever Arthur lived, the people there must be so mean- Oh... Hat Kid formed a sad look as realization hit her. Arthur must have been judged on his preferences his whole life, and maybe on more than just that... Maybe that explained why he felt so insecure and didn't want to trust others. He was scared of being made fun of. Well, Hat Kid wasn't one to judge others based on their preferences, so Arthur won't have to worry about that around her. She will prove that to him eventually.

Hat Kid then sat down next to Arthur and continued to watch him draw. After a minute, however, the boy began to grow uncomfortable with her presence. He liked being alone when he drew, and right now this girl was stepping in his comfort zone, even if she didn't judge his drawing.

Arthur sighed and said, "Look, kid. Could you possibly leave me alone? Drawing is the only way for me to have a moment for myself and I'd like it to remain that way. So can you go do something else away from me, please? I'd really appreciate it."

Hat Kid felt a bit hurt by that request, but she understood that he wasn't comfortable with her presence yet and still needed some time to get used to her. She sighed sadly and walked away. Hopefully, one day, she will be able to gain his trust.

**"Warning. Intruder alert."**

Both children jumped upon hearing the sudden alarm. An intruder? Who was it? Was it Mustache Girl? Another Mafia man? Arthur and Hat Kid pulled out their weapons, ready to fight in case the intruder was a threat to them.

However, as they looked at the person who came in through the hatch, they noticed that it wasn't Mustache Girl, nor a Mafia man. It was Cooking Cat! She was looking around the main room, fascinated by all the technology of the spaceship. Arthur and Hat Kid were confused. How did she get here?

The duo put their weapons away and approached the chef cat. The latter noticed them and gave them a smile.

"Oh hello, dears! What a lovely spaceship you have here!" Cooking Cat said happily.

"Cooking Cat? How did you get here?" Arthur asked with a puzzled expression.

"Oh, I used one of the Mafia's cannons to get up here," the chef cat explained. Arthur and Hat Kid gave each other a surprised look. She used the cannons? Are they really powerful enough to launch someone in space? That probably explained how the Mafia man who broke the hatch was able to reach the spaceship.

"Sorry for the break-and-entering, I just really wanted to see what an alien spaceship is like," Cooking Cat apologized as she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"You know, I expected aliens to be more green and probably with a thirst for flesh. But I guess you aliens come in all shapes and size, huh?" she joked. Hat Kid formed an unamused expression on her face. She didn't appreciate this kind of stereotype that people from other planets had of her, and she didn't like the term 'alien' either. It made her feel like some kind of monster, which she wasn't.

"Well, the girl is an alien for sure. Me, I'm just a regular human who is... here as a simple guest," Arthur explained, making sure not to mention the Time Pieces or the real reason of his presence in this world.

"Oh, I see," Cooking Cat said as she nodded understandingly. "Well, if you two are looking to explore our planet, you have to understand it first. Otherwise you won't know if you're stepping on grass or quicksand!".

"Fair enough," Arthur said with a shrug. Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

"Have you two heard of relics?" Cooking Cat asked the duo.

"Relics?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Don't know how to identify them? Fear not, Cooking Cat is here!" the chef cat said with a grin. Then she asked, "Do you have a chalkboard somewhere?". Hat Kid pointed at the chalkboard at the corner of the room that Mustache Girl used to brief her and Arthur on her plan when they were still friends.

"Great! If you two want to take a sit, I'll tell you all about relics," Cooking Cat said as she made her way to the chalkboard. Arthur and Hat Kid nodded and followed her to the chalkboard. After that, the two children sat on their chairs and gave the chef cat their full attention.

Cooking Cat scribbled something on the chalkboard and stepped aside to let the children see. She had drawn two parts of a burger with some explanations written on the different parts.

"Relics are objects you can find all around the planet and keep as collectibles. They're like pieces of a puzzle, which means you will need to put multiple parts together to complete one. I'll let you have this Burger Cushion relic for free!" Cooking Cat explained, before pulling out a plush bun, cheese and lettuce pillow and handing it over to Hat Kid. The small girl took it and examined it curiously. Cooking Cat then flipped the board and revealed a drawing of a podium with different parts of what is supposed to represent a relic.

"You can identify this relic at the podium! If you place them on the podium in the correct order, you might be able to make sense of it," the chef cat continued, before flipping the board once again and revealing the drawing of a completed burger relic on a podium. "If you're able to identify a relic, something great might happen! You never know! So keep an eye out for relics."

"I see. So they're like some sort of souvenir then?" Arthur asked as he put his hand on his chin in a thinking manner.

"Something like that! Anyway, I have taught you both everything I know about relics! I must now return to Mafia Town and prepare lunch before any of the Mafia men die of their own cooking," Cooking Cat said. Arthur chuckled at the last statement.

"Yeah, I think that's best for the sake of their health," Arthur said jokingly. Hat Kid and Cooking Cat chuckled at the boy's joke.

"Alright, I'll see you two soon, dearies," the chef cat said with a gentle smile. She then walked up to the hatch, ready to jump back to the planet.

"Wait, ma'am! You, uh, might wanna use something to land safely. Like an umbrella or something," Arthur warned her.

"Don't worry, I've got it all covered!" Cooking Cat said as she pulled out a chef's apron. She was planning to use it as a parachute to land safely.

"Okay then," Arthur nodded understandingly.

With that said, Cooking Cat opened the hatch and jumped into space, leaving the two children alone in the spaceship.

As Hat Kid felt the texture and looked at the form and color of the relic that the chef cat gave her, she then realized which other part it will go with as she remembered picking up a similar one with a bun and steak in Mafia Town while she was searching for the Time Rift. She went to one of the podiums in the main room and pulled out the other burger relic she found. She placed the bottom part on the podium, followed by the top one, sucessfully reconstituing the entire burger.

Hat Kid took a few steps back and smiled as she admired her work. She actually had no idea what a burger was supposed to be, and yet the more she looked at the cushion, the more she felt the strong desire to take a bite. It looked like food, so that must be it! The small girl approached the burger cushion and bit in it. Upon realizing it tasted like fabric, she pulled away and gagged in disgust. Arthur couldn't help but snort at the girl's reaction.

"You can't eat that one, kid. It's just a cushion," Arthur explained with a chuckle.

"Oh..." Hat Kid said as she smiled sheepishly. She then tried to think how to name this relic and snapped her fingers as she got an idea.

The purple-hatted girl picked up a sign and placed it in front of the podium. She pulled out a pen and wrote something on it. When she was finished, she smiled and proudly put her hands on her hips. Arthur was curious about what she wrote and walked up to the sign to read it.

_'EARTHLING SITTING DEVICE._

_Research concludes that this thing is very soft to sit on. So soft, that the only logical conclusion is that these are the chairs of this planet. It is not a snack. I tried. It tastes like fabric.'_

After he finished reading the description, Arthur looked at Hat Kid and raised an eyebrow at her. The small girl was grinning as she eagerly waited to hear what the young boy thought of it.

"No comment," Arthur said unamused, before he walked away.

Hat Kid watched him leave confused. Did she get it wrong? It was a cushion and she couldn't eat it, so she figured that was what a burger was. She shrugged, deciding to dismiss the thought. She then wanted to try and sit on it. She jumped on the burger cushion and was surprised as she suddenly found herself bouncing on it. Hat Kid giggled as she continued to bounce on the cushion. She did different poses every time she bounced up in the air. It was so fun!

Arthur shook his head in amusement. This kid was really something else. Now that he thinks about it, she was certainly nicer and funnier than anyone he had met before. Though that still didn't mean he trusted her. He was done befriending people after everything his dad and the other kids have put him through. And those he cared about have... left him in more ways than one. He didn't want to risk being hurt again by another person, either with bad intentions or... some other way he didn't want to think about.

The young boy walked up to the large window and suddenly saw that something was off with the planet below.

"Uh, Hat Kid? You should come and see this," Arthur said with widen eyes. Upon hearing him, Hat Kid stopped bouncing and got down from the burger cushion. She walked up to his side and noticed what the boy was trying to show her. The sea part that was all around Mafia Town was... orange?

"Is that lava?" Arthur asked with a shocked look. Hat Kid's eyes widened. Lava? Ohhh no... She had to head down and see what was going on! Hat Kid made her way to the hatch and was about to open it when Arthur stopped her.

"Hey, hang on! You wanna head down there? Are you crazy? If that's lava, it's gonna be dangerous!" Arthur said in a worried tone. Hat Kid was surprised to see the twelve-year-old boy so worried about her, but she was still going. Even though the Mafia have been in a pain in the butt since the beginning, Hat Kid didn't want them to die in such a way. Plus, Cooking Cat went back to the town, so she might also be in danger! Hat Kid wouldn't bear letting those people suffer like that.

The purple-hatted girl looked at Arthur dead serious and said, "I'm going down. With or without you," firmly.

Arthur sighed in defeat. There was clearly no way to change the girl's mind. The reason why he didn't want to go down there was due to the obvious danger of burning to death, and also because he didn't handle the heat well. He was always a sweating mess during summer days, and he prefered the cool temperature over the hot one. However, he didn't want to let Hat Kid deal with this on her own. He would feel like a coward and the worst person on Earth if he did. Also, there were still some people down there who have been nice to him, like Cooking Cat and that Mafia barman.

"Alright... Let's go. I just hope we won't get cooked like steaks on a barbecue..." Arthur muttered. Though he had a feeling he would regret that decision later. Hat Kid smiled upon hearing his decision to come with her.

With a determined look, Hat Kid opened the hatch and grabbed Arthur's hand, before jumping down to the planet. It was time to save Mafia Town from a terrible fate!

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! Hope you enjoyed this new chapter! So yeah, I know most of you are probably upset with Arthur telling Hat Kid to go away and hurting her feelings, but as said before, Arthur is not ready to trust her yet. Don't worry though, Hat Kid will manage to gain his trust later on, but for now, that's the way it is.**

**Also, as you can see, I've decided to give the Mafia barman you meet during the 'Down with the Mafia' act a more important role with recurring appearances in my story. I think it's a nice addition to the me all what you think about it.**

**Also, 43 reviews, 14 favs, and 12 follows? Wow! Thanks a lot, everyone! It means a lot to me that you're enjoying this story! I put my heart into it and I'm having a lot of fun writing it! So I hope to not disappoint you all with the rest of the story. ^^**

**Anyway, time to answer a few reviews!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Considered that Arthur's dad was violent and alcoholic? Yes, Arthur might have some problem with him. Though, they have about the same interests as they both love the Western universe, so we'll see how it turns out.**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Thanks! Eventually, Arthur will open up. But for now, he's not ready. It will take some time for him to come clean about his problems.**

_**To Shadow Necro:**_** Glad you're happy I'm back! ^^ Well, the Hookshot Badge will be necessary for some acts in the future. So yeah, Arthur will get this badge for sure. Now if there will be other badges, I don't know yet. Also yes, I've planned to include all DLCs in my story, so Arthur will go to the Nyakuza Metro with Hat Kid too.**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** The identity of the one who brought Arthur to this world will be revealed near the end of the story. No spoilers here. ;) And thank you! ^^**

_**To XxxMBDDXXX A.T.F.R:**_** Thank you! I'm really glad you're enjoying this story! I hope not to disappoint you with the rest of it. ^^**

**That's it for today, folks! See you in the next chapter!**


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

As soon as the duo entered the atmosphere, they were hit by a wave of heat and it got worse as they got closer to Mafia Town. Landing on top of the observatory – where the cannon that gave them access to the Mafia HQ was – Arthur and Hat Kid could observe the disaster that occured here. The normally blue ocean was now replaced with lava, and it even got on lower parts of Mafia Town. Some Mafia men have been able to get to safety on the rooftops. Others were less fortunate and burned to death in the lava – some were even comically bouncing up and down, while holding their burning behinds, every time they touched the lava. Even the geyser was made of lava! How did that happen?

"Little kids! Over here!" a Mafia man called the children over.

Arthur and Hat Kid recognized the man. It was the same Mafia goon who mistook Hat Kid for a 'slimy space alien' when she was covered in mud. For short, they have decided to call him the Goofy Mafia.

"Look at mess! This is terrible!" the Goofy Mafia said in a panicked tone.

"Yeah, the sea is lava and people are cooking like steaks on a grill. How the hell did that happen?" Arthur asked with a shocked expression.

"Someone turn on all faucets in Mafia Town... same faucets that control the town's volcano!" the goon explained. Arthur and Hat Kid gave each other a puzzled look. Seriously, who thought it was a good idea to plug in these faucets that are directly linked to the volcano all around town?

"Was it you, child?" the Goofy Mafia asked Hat Kid with a stern look. The small girl shook her head, denying the accusation. "No? Mafia think he saw a _little girl_ turn on all faucets." A little girl? Wait... Oh no... Mustache Girl. She was the one who turned on the faucets and flooded the town with lava.

_'Mustache Girl, what have you done now?'_ Arthur thought as he put a hand on his face in disappointment. He knew that her obsession for revenge would make her go too far. He had already warned her about that, but of course this stubborn mustached girl didn't listen!

"Little hat kids, can you save Mafia Town by turning off all faucets? If you close all, maybe water start flowing again!" the Goofy Mafia asked the duo. Hat Kid nodded with determination clearly showing in her eyes. Even if the Mafia were jerks, she didn't want to let them suffer. Another reason is she knew it was because of her Time Pieces that Mustache Girl did that. Therefore Hat Kid felt a bit responsible for this. That is why she had to make it right and fix the mess that Mustache Girl had caused.

"We'll... do our best," Arthur answered with hesitation. The idea of burning to death in the lava made him extremely anxious. The intense heat wasn't helping either. He could already feel sweat dropping from his forehead.

"Thank you! There are six faucets in town. Fellow Mafia will show you where to find faucets if you ask them. Good luck!" the Goofy Mafia said with a smile. Arthur and Hat Kid nodded in response.

The two children walked to the edge of the platform to locate the faucets from afar, while making sure to stay behind the barrier. For now, they could only spot one on the bell tower, near the construction site. Lava was flowing from the faucet.

"There's one on that bell tower over there. For the others, we're gonna have to search around town, and hopefully... not get cooked in the lava," Arthur said as he nervously glanced down to see the deadly hot liquid flowing below.

The young boy had to stop looking at the lava and take a step back to prevent himself from hyperventilating. He already had a hard time breathing because of the heat, and if he started to hyperventilate now, he could suffocate on the spot.

Hat Kid could see that Arthur was panicking, so she tried to think of something less dangerous for him to do. She then had an idea. She pulled out a piece of paper and wrote something on it. She then showed the paper to Arthur, and he could read: 'Save the goons who need help! I'll turn off the faucets.'

"You... sure about this?" Arthur asked hesitantly. Hat Kid nodded with a smile.

The twelve-year-old boy sighed. It felt wrong to let Hat Kid find the faucets on her own, but she was more agile and collected than he was, and with his anxiety... Maybe it was best to do as she said.

"Alright. Just... be careful, okay?" Arthur said in a worried tone. Hat Kid gave him a thumbs up to say that she will be fine. "I'll meet you back here then," he said. Hat Kid nodded.

And with that, the duo walked away from each other to do their given tasks in hope to save Mafia Town from disaster.

* * *

Arthur made his way across several rooftops, trying to help as many Mafia goons as he could. He told the ones who were at lower levels to get to higher ground for safety. The Mafia men listened to the boy and made their way up to the higher parts of Mafia Town. He walked a bit further and spotted a Mafia man hanging onto the edge of the rooftop, struggling to get back up.

"Help! Little hat boy! Help Mafia please!" the goon pleaded. Arthur's eyes widened and he ran up to the Mafia man.

"Ah hell! Hang in there! I'm gonna get you up somehow!" the twelve-year-old boy said as he crouched in front of the hanging man. He wasn't sure how he was going to be able to help him up considering he was just a kid, and therefore he didn't have enough strength to pull him up. He had to try though. Maybe if he managed to lift him up a little, the Mafia man could climb up easier.

Arthur grabbed the man's arm and tried as hard as he could to pull him up. The Mafia man tried to help him by pulling himself up, but even with the boy's help, he was unable to climb back up. Suddenly, another Mafia man rushed to Arthur's side, grabbed the goon's other arm and began to pull him up. With the extra set of hands, the goon who was struggling was finally able to climb up on the rooftop safely. Arthur let out a sigh of relief now that the goon was safe and sound.

"Little hat boy! Mafia glad to see you again!" the Mafia man who came to the rescue said to Arthur happily. As soon as he said that, the young boy immediately recognized him.

"Mafia Barman?" Arthur asked. The goon nodded in response. "Thank you. You... you came right in time," the twelve-year-old boy said in appreciation.

"Thank you, fellow Mafia! You too, little boy," the Mafia man who was rescued thanked the two.

"Don't mention it. Head to the observatory, it's safe up there," Arthur said. The goon nodded gratefully and ran off towards the observatory. The young boy looked back at the Mafia Barman and said, "You should go too, barman."

The Mafia Barman shook his head and said, "If little hat boy save fellow Mafia, then Mafia will help. Mafia strong, so Mafia come with you."

Arthur was surprised to hear that he was willing to help him. For a goon from the Mafia, the barman was so selfless. Well, without him, Arthur would have been unable to rescue the other Mafia man, so he wouldn't mind the strong man's help.

"Alright, just be careful around the edge. I don't want you to fall," Arthur said.

"Little boy not worry. Mafia will be careful," the Mafia Barman reassured with a smile. Arthur nodded.

Continuing their progress through the rooftops, Arthur and the Mafia Barman continued to help the Mafia goons who needed saving. At one point, the twelve-year-old boy looked down to the side and saw a familiar figure stranded on top of a big crate in the middle of the lava. Someone with orange fur and a chef's hat... Arthur gasped. It was Cooking Cat!

"Cooking Cat!" Arthur shouted as he ran to the edge of the rooftop. The chef cat heard him and looked up.

"D-Dearie?! W-What are you doing here?" Cooking Cat asked in a panicked tone. It was needless to say that she was terrified. Here she was, forced to remain on a crate to stay safe from the lava.

"No time to explain! Right now, we gotta get you out of there!" Arthur answered, not wanting to wait any longer to rescue the chef cat. He turned to the Mafia Barman and asked, "Do you have something to get her out? A rope or something?".

"Mafia have rope to tie up prisoners. We can use that," the Mafia Barman said as he pulled out a rope. Arthur grimaced upon hearing that this rope was used to tie people up, but he shook his head to focus back on recuing Cooking Cat.

"Good. Throw the end of the rope at her and then we'll pull her all the way up here. I just hope it will hold," Arthur explained. The Mafia Barman nodded.

With the plan set, the goon threw the end of rope at Cooking Cat.

"Grab the rope! We'll pull you out of there!" Arthur shouted to Cooking Cat to make sure she could hear him. The chef cat did as she was told and grabbed the rope. She then nervously nodded at the boy to tell him she was ready.

Arthur and the Mafia Barman then pulled on the rope with all of their strength. Cooking Cat was very nervous as she was being pulled up. She already didn't like water due to her being a cat, but lava? It was way worse and deadlier than water. After some efforts, Cooking Cat had finally reached the edge and grabbed it to pull herself up on the rooftop, with Arthur's help. Cooking Cat breathed heavily as she allowed herself to recover after this traumatic experience.

"Thank you... dearie... I would've become... 'Cooked Cat'... if you weren't here..." she joked in between breathes.

Arthur chuckled and said, "Yeah, you would have," jokingly. Cooking Cat chuckled before looking at the Mafia Barman.

"Thank you too, uhm... Mafia..." the chef cat said, unsure how to name the goon.

"Don't mention it," the Mafia Barman said with a smile. The chef cat then noticed that Hat Kid wasn't with Arthur.

"Where's the little girl?" Cooking Cat asked concerned.

"Hat Kid? She's trying to turn off all faucets. I'm supposed to meet her at the observatory when she's done. In the meantime, I'm saving folks who need help," Arthur explained.

"That is very kind of you two. Will she be okay though?" Cooking Cat asked in a worried tone.

"I hope so. As far as I can tell, she can handle herself. I've seen her do things that even adults can't do," Arthur said, confident about the girl's abilities. Hat Kid clearly showed that she knew what she was doing, so there was no doubt she had already been in dangerous situations before. He just hoped than nothing wrong will go along the way and that she will be able to make it back safely.

* * *

While Arthur was off to save as much people as he could, Hat Kid was searching around town for all faucets. First thing she did was head for the one on the clock tower, walking on tightropes to get across the lava. When she got on it, she tried to turn it off with her hands, but it remained stuck. Therefore, she opted for the hard way and whacked it shut with her umbrella. And it worked! The lava had stopped flowing from the faucet. She smiled and continued to search for the other ones.

Going to lower parts of Mafia Town, she closed another one near the dock. She asked a Mafia man for some directions and he told her that there was one at the lighthouse. Going down the rocky side of the town that wasn't submerged in lava, she jumped on tightropes and floating balloons to reach and close the faucet on the lighthouse.

She continued and spotted another faucet in the distance. It was on some weird machine a bit further away in the lava ocean. The only way to access is to jump on some barrels and floating platforms. With a confident nod, she jumped on them to reach the faucet. However, when she stepped on the first floating platform, it began to vibrate and it suddenly started to fall. Panicking, Hat Kid jumped on the next platform to avoid getting cooked in the lava. She continued to jump from platform to platform, and every time she stepped on one, it gave under her feet.

Eventually, the purple-hatted girl was able to reach the machine. However, in her haste, she miscalculated her jump and landed off balance on the edge. She flailed her arms around in panic and unfortunately lost her footing. Thankfully, she was able to grab onto the edge before she could fall in the lava.

Hat Kid looked down, and immediately regretted it when she caught sight of the deadly boiling lava below her. She attempted to pull herself up, but the surface of the machine was a bit slippery and she almost lost her grip by doing so. She panicked and decided to stay still to stop herself from falling.

Sweat was dripping from the girl's forehead. To be honest, she wasn't scared... she was absolutely _**terrified**_! It was needless to say she really in trouble this time. She never thought she would have to say it but...

"_**HELP!**_" Hat Kid screamed at the top of her lungs, hoping anyone would hear her.

* * *

Arthur, Cooking Cat, and the Mafia Barman have been able to save a few more Mafia goons. Unfortunately, they haven't been able to save everyone as some had unfortunately disappeared in the lava. It was especially heartbreaking for the Mafia Barman as he had known them for a long time. However, the group knew that in a situation like this, some casualties are to be expected. It didn't make the feeling any easier to bear though.

Eventually, the trio made their way on top of a few houses in the market that was now flooded with lava. Suddenly, a distant screaming stopped Arthur in his tracks and he looked towards the source of the voice. In the middle of the lava ocean, there was a strange machine emerging from it and hanging on the edge of it was a small figure in purple and yellow outfit- Arthur gasped. It was Hat Kid! She was in trouble!

"Oh crap! Hat Kid!" the young boy screamed in panic. Cooking Cat and the Mafia Barman had spotted her as well.

"Oh dear!" Cooking Cat said as she put a hand on her mouth in horror.

"Little hat girl is in trouble!" the Mafia Barman stated in panic.

Arthur's worry soon replaced his instincts as he saw the purple-hatted girl in danger. Even if he didn't trust her yet, he couldn't let her die! Without her, the Time Pieces will remain lost forever and some people might want to abuse their power, like Mustache Girl wants to. And besides, Hat Kid was his only ally in this world, and also the only one who provides him shelter at the moment. If she dies, then where would he go? No... Screw his anxiety and screw the danger! He is going to save her, even if it costs him his life!

"Dammit! I have to go over there and help her! Can you guys save the rest of the townsfolks without me?" the twelve-year-old boy asked his two allies.

"Are you sure? You might get hurt too, dearie," Cooking Cat said concerned.

"Screw this! I'm getting her out of this mess, even if it's the last _goddamn_ thing I do!" Arthur said in an angry and determined tone. Cooking Cat was a bit taken aback by his tone. She was worried about the boy's safety, but she admired his bravery and Hat Kid did need help at the moment.

The chef cat sighed and said, "Just be careful, okay?".

"We will help fellow Mafia. Go save little hat girl," the Mafia Barman said. Arthur nodded at the two, before he ran off to save Hat Kid. Cooking Cat watched him leave with a worried expression.

"Do not worry. Little boy is strong. Stronger than he looks. Stronger than he thinks," the Mafia Barman reassured the worried chef cat. Cooking Cat really hoped that the goon was right about that.

Arthur rushed down to the rocky side as quickly as he could. When he got down, he could see the parkour that Hat Kid used to get there. He looked down at the sea of lava before looking back up at the girl hanging on the edge. From the looks of it, it won't be long before she loses her grip and fall to her death. Arthur didn't have much time.

Ignoring the obvious danger, Arthur jumped on the barrels, then onto the floating platforms. They gave under his feet, but the boy didn't stop and continued jumping to the next platform. He was in an adrenaline rush right now, and the badge on his hat was really helping him as well.

Hat Kid had less grip on the edge than before, and now she was hanging with only one hand. She could feel her hand slip more every seconds. So that was it then? After all the missions and adventures she had, she was going to die in such a stupid way all because she got careless and failed a stupid jump?

The purple-hatted girl closed her eyes, bracing herself for her imminent death. However, just when she lost her grip, a pair of hands grabbed her arm, stopping her from falling in the lava below. Hat Kid opened her eyes and was shocked to see that Arthur was the one who caught her.

"A-Arthur?" she asked in a surprised, yet relieved tone.

"Hang on! I'm gonna pull you up!" Arthur said as he used all of his strength to pull the small girl back up on the machine.

After some efforts, Arthur managed to pull Hat Kid up to safety. Both children layed down on their back and breathed heavily as they tried to recover. After a moment, Arthur was the first one to speak.

"Ughh... You goddamn idiot! I told you to be careful, dammit!" Arthur scolded Hat Kid. The small girl flinched at his tone.

"I'm sorry..." Hat Kid apologized shamefully. She never meant to make him so worried to the point that he risked his own life to save hers.

"Forget about it... Just be glad I made it in time," Arthur said with a sigh. Now that he thought about it, he realized that he had literally jumped from platform to platform above a sea of lava to make it here. And not just any platform, they were _unstable _ones! He could have died here and then, but he made it. He just keeps surprising himself sometimes.

"We should probably turn that faucet off," Arthur reminded as he got up to his feet. Hat Kid nodded and got up as well.

The purple-hatted girl walked up to the giant faucet and whacked it several times with her umbrella, successfully closing it.

"How many of those have you turned off so far?" Arthur asked. Hat Kid raised four fingers, meaning that she turned off four faucets out of six.

"Alright. Well, I ran into Cooking Cat. She's okay. She and another Mafia man are helping the rest of the townsfolks," the twelve-year-old boy explained. Hat Kid sighed in relief, knowing that the chef cat was okay. "So in the meantime, we can go and turn the rest of the faucets off," he continued. Noticing the girl's confused expression, Arthur gave her a serious look.

"That's right, miss. I'm not letting you outta my sight again. Not after what happened. Otherwise, you're gonna get roasted and end up on the menu for a Thanksgiving dinner," he said jokingly and sternly at the same time.

Hat Kid felt a bit guilty for laughing at his joke. There was no doubt that he got so scared after seeing her on the verge of death. So even if he tended to act cold and bitter, Hat Kid could see that he had a good heart. She made the right choice by asking him to join her on her adventure.

"Thank you," Hat Kid said with an appreciative smile.

"Don't mention it," Arthur simply said.

The two children went back to the shore, while being careful with their jumps along the road. As they searched for the next faucet, they came across a small cave with a fire pit in the middle. On the wall, there was 'Mafia Sabotage' written in red, along with a few lines indicating the amount of success. On a rock at the front of the cave, there was a crossed off drawing of the Mafia Boss's face with a silly expression. The words 'Sod off' were written multiple times around it. The duo concluded that this was probably where Mustache Girl was living.

Arthur let out a sad sigh. Even if what Mustache Girl just did is unacceptable, he still felt bad for her, knowing the horrible conditions she was living in ever since she was driven away from her house. It reminded him of himself... about the way he was living with his alcoholic father in a house that was in a poor state. Hat Kid gave him a confused look seeing his expression. She wasn't aware of Mustache Girl's past yet. Arthur noticed her look and shook his head.

"It's nothing. Just... living in a cave doesn't seem easy is all," the twelve-year-old boy lied. He didn't want to tell her about Mustache Girl's past yet. He knew that it was a sensible topic and he respected it, which is why he didn't want to tell Hat Kid about it right now.

The small girl could sense that he was lying, but she decided not to push it. They had more important things to worry about right now. Hat Kid did a motion with her head to tell Arthur that they should keep going.

"Right... Let's go," Arthur said, focusing back on the task at hand.

The duo continued to make their way around and were able to close another faucet that was near the slides at the submerged beach. Now, they had just one more to find. Arthur remembered seeing one at the market before he went to rescue Hat Kid. Sure enough, they were able to find it and close it.

After turning the last faucet off, lava disappeared from the geyser and was replaced with water again. The temperature of the area slowly decreased, and even though the lava remained in town and in the sea, Arthur and Hat Kid were now sure that it won't cause any more damage. It was only a matter of time before the lava would clear off and Mafia Town would retrieve its normal state.

"That did the trick. We should go back to the observatory and tell the Goofy Mafia it's done. Hopefully, Cooking Cat and the other Mafia man are waiting for us there too," Arthur stated. Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

* * *

The duo had returned to the top of the observatory. They were met by Cooking Cat and the Mafia Barman who have been waiting for them to return.

"Good to see you two made it," Cooking Cat said, relieved to see the two children safe and sound.

"Yeah, we were able to close all faucets. Hopefully, Mafia Town will be back to its normal state soon," Arthur said with a smile.

"Thank you, little children. You should go to Mafia HQ. Fellow Mafia are waiting for you there," the Mafia Barman said, smiling at the two. Both children looked at the cannon that leads up to the Mafia HQ.

"Great... I was hoping I wouldn't have to use that thing again," Arthur grumbled, remembering his first experience of being launched up by the cannon. "Oh well... Let's go," he said, walking up to the cannon, climbing into it, and closing the hatch.

The cannon pointed up and launched Arthur in the air. The boy screamed as he was being launched upward and he landed face first on the platform where the Mafia HQ is. Arthur groaned. He was definitely not getting used to it. He tried to get up but was forced back on the ground when someone landed on top of him. He looked up and saw that Hat Kid had landed on him... again!

The small girl giggled in amusement, earning an annoyed look from Arthur. She got up, allowing the young boy to get up as well. When they looked up, they were shocked to see a crowd of cheering Mafia men clapping for them. And that wasn't all. They had set tables with lots of different food, two golden statues representing Arthur and Hat Kid, and a large red sail with 'Arthur & Hat Kid!' written on it was attached at the front of the HQ. The two children were surprised by all of this. They didn't expect this warm welcome from the Mafia.

The Goofy Mafia approached the duo and said, "You did it! Small children saved Mafia Town! Now Mafia no longer need to eat lava for breakfast... amazing!".

"Sounds like you would melt from inside if you did," Arthur said jokingly, causing Hat Kid and the Goofy Mafia to chuckle. "Well... You should rather thank Hat Kid. She was the one who wanted to save you all. Me, I just... followed along," he said, giving all the credit to Hat Kid.

"Mafia saw little boy go around town and save all fellow Mafia. You are hero too," the Goofy Mafia said with a smile.

The Mafia man whom Arthur saved earlier stepped forward and said, "Is true! Mafia was hanging on edge for dear life. Then hat boy came and saved Mafia! He is true hero, like little hat girl!" gratefully.

All the other goons nodded and said that Arthur had either saved them or saw him save other Mafia men. The young boy felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see Cooking Cat and the Mafia Barman nodding at him gratefully. Even Hat Kid smiled and gave him a thumbs up. Arthur felt a bit overwhelmed. It was the first time anyone was praising him for doing something good. For once, he wasn't seen as a nuisance or a liability... but as a hero. A _true hero_! It was... a different feeling. A good one. It was a lot to take in, and it took him a lot of efforts to not get all emotional in front of everyone.

"I... I don't know what to say... I... Thank you, everyone," Arthur said with an appreciative smile, fighting the tears that threatened to fall.

"Don't mention it. Mafia glad that little hat children showed up," the Goofy Mafia said with a smile, before pointing at a silver platter covered by a cloche on the table. "Please, take this as trophy. You are truly the heroes of Mafia Town!".

The two children walked up to the table and Arthur lifted up the cloche. Their eyes widened as they saw what was under it. It was a Time Piece! Saving Mafia Town was definitely worth it. And not just for the Time Piece, but also for all the lives that were saved today.

Arthur wanted to grab the Time Piece, but then he saw that Hat Kid was about to do the same, so he stopped himself from doing it. However, the purple-hatted girl noticed that. She grabbed the boy's hand and placed it on the Time Piece, while putting her other hand on the other side of the Time Piece. She wanted to make him understand that they were now a team and that no one would be left aside.

Arthur gave her a surprised look, but Hat Kid only smiled at him in response. The twelve-year-old boy smiled back and nodded in appreciation.

Unknown to the duo and everyone else, a red-hooded figure was peeking from around the building, watching them. The blond mustache on their face was recognizable. Indeed, it was Mustache Girl... and she was **not** happy.

"'Heroes'? Pff, right! They're helping the Mafia. They're bad guys, alright," Mustache Girl muttered bitterly.

The red-hooded girl was really disappointed in the duo. She thought that she could trust them after coming up with a plan to get rid of the Mafia. When she found out about the power of the Time Pieces, she was hoping that the three of them could use them to prevent the Mafia from arriving to the island and fight every bad guys they could come across together. But noooo, it was too much to ask! Hat Kid just wanted to keep the Time Pieces for herself. How could this girl be so selfish?

But the one that Mustache Girl was mostly disappointed with was Arthur. She had told the boy about what she went through, what the Mafia did to her and her family. She thought he understood her reasons for wanting to use the Time Pieces, but all he wanted was to cut and run to save himself. He was nothing but a coward and a liar! And to add salt to the wound, he teamed up with the purple-hatted brat. That traitor!

But they won't stop her... She will do everything she can to get all of the Time Pieces and use them to rid the world from evil. Even if it means she would have to get rid of Arthur and Hat Kid at some point to get what she wants.

"Speaking of bad guys..." Mustache Girl said as she turned around to look at a Mafia man. And not just any goon... It was the Mafia Boss. He was tied up and a scotch tape was over his mouth to prevent him from screaming. "I have a special treatment for you..." she said in a dark tone.

The Mafia Boss trembled and had a terrified look on his face, as Mustache Girl cracked her knuckles and slowly approached him with an evil grin.

**A/N:**** Hi everyone! That's a new chapter wrapped up! We're almost done with the 'Mafia Town' acts. I just have to write a chapter about the two remaining Time Rifts before moving on to 'The Battle of The Birds' acts. I know there's still 'Cheating the Race' to write, but that won't come until later in the story, since Hat Kid needs the Time Stop Hat to beat the Mafia man on the rocket.**

**Alright! Time to answer the reviews for the previous chapter!**

_**To Katopris12:**_** Nope, that was Cooking Cat. XD**

_**To Mad King C:**_** It's true that it resembles 'Megacharge' with the reversed roles, but I did mention in the Prologue that it was inspired from this story. I'm trying to make sure it's not too similar to it. But don't worry, I'm not mad at you for making the comparison. ^^**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** The one responsible for bringing Arthur to this world will be revealed near the end of the story. It's a good theory though. Anyway, thank you. ^^**

**And that's it for now! I'll see you guys in the next chapter!**


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Weeee!" Hat Kid beamed as she spinned on Rumbi after it accidentally hit a wall.

The small child was sitting on her robot vacuum cleaner while it was busy cleaning the main room. Rumbi continued to move around, but it was struggling due to its owner's weight on it. Its circuits struggled to process, and it would occasionally hit a wall by accident and spin in one place for a second. Its LED face showed a pained expression that was silently screaming 'Help! Get her off of me!'.

"You done giving that robot a hard time?" Arthur asked with an unamused expression. He was actually sitting at the corner of the room, continuing his unfinished drawing from the day before.

Hat Kid crossed her arms and pouted at him as to say 'But it's so much fun!'. The young boy only rolled his eyes at her, before he went back to drawing.

While he was drawing, he thought back on the events from the day before. Mafia Town being submerged in lava, he and Hat Kid going around to save people and stop the lava by turning off the faucets, being seen as heroes by the Mafia, and being rewarded with a Time Piece. Arthur still had a hard time believing that he was called a hero, when he had been called a 'freak', a 'liability' and a 'mistake' his whole life. It was something new to him and he still needed some time to process it.

Despite that, he was happy that this was over with. It was so damn hot down there, and he had felt like he was going to melt any second. When he and Hat Kid returned on the ship, they were both a sweating mess, so they had to take a shower and wash their clothes.

They had been able to enjoy a good night of sleep after all that. With seven Time Pieces, Hat Kid had been able to unlock her bedroom and sleep in her bed. She had offered Arthur to sleep in her pillow fort, but he refused by saying that 'Someone had to stay on watch to protect the Time Pieces in case anyone tried to sneak on the ship'. In reality, it was because he still wasn't comfortable being around her. Hat kid could see that, but she had decided to let him do as he pleased nonetheless.

***Knock! Knock! Knock!***

Arthur was pulled out of his thoughts when a knock was heard coming from the hatch. Hat Kid hopped off of Rumbi and walked up to the hatch to see who was knocking. She smiled upon seeing that it was Cooking Cat. The cat chef seemed to be carrying a white box in her hands. Hat Kid opened the hatch to allow her in.

"Hello, dearies!" Cooking Cat said with a smile as she stepped into the spaceship.

"Oh hey, Cooking Cat. What's up?" Arthur said as he set his drawing aside and got up to his feet.

"I just came by to say hello to our little heroes," Cooking Cat said with a smile. 'Hero'... Arthur really needed to get used to that word. "The lava has cleared off during the night. Never thought I'd say this but... it's good to see water flowing again in Mafia Town," she added with a chuckle.

"Yeah, water isn't really your cup of tea, right?" Arthur asked, chuckling as well. It is true that Cooking Cat was... well... a cat. No wonder she didn't like water.

Cooking Cat shrugged and said, "Well, I'll take water over lava any day," jokingly.

"I'm inclined to agree," Arthur said with a chuckle, making Hat Kid giggle as well.

"Anyway, I wanted to thank you both for saving everyone's life in Mafia Town. So I've baked you some cupcakes. Freshly made," Cooking Cat said as she opened the box in her hand to show the content.

The two children's eyes widened, seeing all the cupcakes with different colors and flavors. Hat Kid drooled at the sight. She couldn't resist the taste of pastries and anything with sugar in it. Arthur was also tempted to take a bite in these cupcakes. He hadn't had the chance to eat any for years.

"Wow, that's... Well... Thank you, Cooking Cat. You didn't have to do this, you know," Arthur said gratefully.

"I know, but I _wanted_ to. You both have earned it! Anyway, we should probably go eat them before you flood the spaceship with your own saliva," Cooking Cat said in a joking tone.

"Yeah, that'd be preferable," Arthur answered jokingly. Hat Kid and Cooking Cat giggled in response.

With that said, the trio went in the kitchen and they started eating the cupcakes made by the cat chef. Hat Kid was devouring her cupcakes like a tiger was eating its prey. They were just so delicious! The sight of her eating made Cooking Cat chuckle. Arthur was also enjoying the cupcakes.

"Man, I haven't had one of those since my mom..." Arthur trailed off at the end, his smile dropping and turning into a frown.

His mom was the one who used to make cupcakes for him until she... Arthur sighed. He didn't want to think about that now... Hat Kid and Cooking Cat noticed the boy's change of mood and they gave him a concerned look. The young boy noticed that.

"Ah, it's nothing. Don't worry about it..." Arthur said, brushing off their concern.

"You sure, dearie?" Cooking Cat asked in a worried tone.

"Yeah..." Arthur simply answered. He didn't want to talk about it. Not now. Maybe not ever...

The cat chef slowly nodded, deciding not to push it. Hat Kid continued to stare at Arthur in concern. The boy seemed alright until he mentioned his mom, and then he had become depressed all of a sudden. Did something bad happen to his mom?

**"Alert. Time Rifts detected."**

The trio jolted at the sudden alarm. Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes widened. Another Time Rift? Wait... Did the alarm say it with an 's'? The two children rushed out of the kitchen under the confused look of Cooking Cat. They ran to the main computer and Hat Kid made the research on it. It gave the results and Hat Kid gasped at what she saw. There was not one, but _two_ time rifts.

Hat Kid pressed a button to receive the informations on the first time rift.

_Rift Status: Blue._

_Localization: Mafia Town._

A blue one. The computer sent a photo of the time rift and it seemed to be at a blocked off entrance area. Okay, that wasn't too bad. But what about the other one? Hat Kid searched for the informations of the second time rift... Then she gasped.

_Rift Status: **Purple.**_

_Localization: Mafia Town._

"Purple? Oh, that's not good..." Arthur said with a worried look.

The computer sent a picture of the purple time rift. It was in the beach area, between a tent and a cannon. At least it was easy to find, but they should make that one top priority. From what the book said, a Purple Time Rift had to be taken care of quickly before it becomes too unstable and causes damages to time itself.

"Alright. We should take care of this now," Arthur said. Hat Kid nodded seriously.

"What's going on?" Cooking Cat asked curiously as she approached them.

"It's... something we have to take care of, because if we don't, it's gonna cause trouble," Arthur explained briefly.

"'Cause trouble'? What exactly?" the cat chef asked concerned. Arthur looked at Hat Kid to ask if he should tell her the truth. Hat Kid nodded. Cooking Cat had always been so nice to them, so she trusted her with the truth on the Time Pieces. Arthur sighed and began to explain more clearly.

"So you see these shiny hourglasses? The ones you saw falling from the sky?" Arthur asked. Cooking Cat nooded. "Well, they're called Time Pieces. They're powerful items that rewind time when they break. But sometimes, it happens that some of them create Time Rifts. And if not sealed quickly, they can put the whole universe in danger."

The cat chef's eyes widened. Hourglasses that rewinded time and created Time Rifts? It sounded... incredible and scary at the same time. There was no doubt that such power could create disasters if misused.

"So we're collecting them to keep them safe. And if there is any rift, we go in there and seal it. Right now, we have two time rifts and one of them is unstable. So Hat Kid and I have to take care of this now," Arthur explained.

"I... I understand. Isn't this going to be dangerous though?" Cooking Cat asked, concerned for the children's safety.

"Probably. I've never been in one of those, but Hat Kid did. Guess we'll see if we come back in one piece. I don't see any other option right now," Arthur said.

Cooking Cat slowly nodded. She hoped that nothing bad will happen to them, but it was clear that these time rifts had to be taken care of quickly and these two kids seemed to know a lot more about them.

"Alright. Just be careful, dearies," the cat chef said. Arthur and Hat Kid nodded. "Oh, before you go... May I use your kitchen? These time rifts seem like hard work, I'm certain you could use some food after that."

Hat Kid thought for a second, then nodded. She wouldn't mind having someone cooking for them. She hoped that Cooking Cat will make more of these cupcakes. They are so yummy!

"Well, if you're gonna stay on the spaceship, just know that we may have some... 'competition' regarding the Time Pieces. If you see a red-hooded girl with a blond mustache, don't let her in. She's after the Time Pieces as well, not for good reasons. And she's not really on friendly terms with us either," Arthur warned the cat chef.

"Fear not! Cooking Cat is here!" she answered confidently, promising that she won't let Mustache Girl go near the Time Pieces.

"Thank you," Arthur said in appreciation.

With that said, Hat Kid opened the hatch. She and Arthur jumped off and aimed to land in Mafia Town.

"Hope they'll be alright. Now what am I gonna cook for them today?" Cooking Cat asked to herself as she headed towards the kitchen.

* * *

The duo landed at the entrance of Mustache Girl's cave. Just like last time, there was no sign of the red-hooded girl in there. She was probably away trying to find the Time Pieces. Well, for now, she was the least of their problems. The time rifts had to be dealt with as quickly as possible, especially the purple one.

"Alright, so we know the purple time rift is our priority, but we should not forget about the other one. We don't want it getting worse. I think we should split up to cover both. Which one do you wanna take care of?" Arthur asked.

Hat Kid thought for a few seconds, before making a decision. She figured that she could take care of the purple time rift, while Arthur goes to seal the blue one. The boy had never entered any time rift before, and he wasn't use to platforming. So if a purple time rift was the most unstable of the two, it might be too dangerous for him to deal with. Therefore, the blue time rift seemed like a good start for him.

Hat Kid made a few gestures to tell Arthur about her plan. The boy nodded, agreeing with her idea.

"Alright then. Yours is easy to find, it's at the beach. Me, well... I hope I won't have to get far to find it," Arthur said. Hat Kid nodded. She was about to walk away when Arthur stopped her.

"Wait, uhh... How do I enter a time rift exactly?" the twelve-year-old boy asked her.

"Just touch it," Hat Kid answered with a shrug.

"Alright. Seems simple enough. I'll meet you back at the beach then," Arthur said. Hat Kid nodded.

And with that said, both children walked away from each other and began to search for their respective time rift. Arthur walked along the rocky side, looking around for the blue rift. Thankfully, he didn't have to look very far. Climbing up the rocks and going into some sort of bazaar, he spotted the rift at one of the blocked off entrances.

"There it is," Arthur whispered to himself as he approached the glowing orb.

He looked down at his hand and back at the time rift, remembering that Hat Kid told him to touch it to enter it. He was a bit nervous, he had no idea what to expect once inside of it. But now was not the time to be a coward. He had to go in there and seal this rift before anything bad happens. Taking a deep breathe, he hesitantly brought his hand forward and closed his eyes, bracing himself for what will come next. He touched the rift and he could feel time freeze for him suddenly. And even though his eyes were still closed, a white light filled his vision.

Seconds later, his vision cleared and he opened his eyes to observe his surroundings. His jaw dropped in awe when he saw he was in a place made of white and blue floating platforms, an underwater atmosphere with clock towers and flying whales in the distance. And of course, bubbles floating around and escaping from his mouth when he breathed out.

"Wow, okay... That is not what I expected," Arthur said with widened eyes.

This place looked so peaceful, he liked it. It was like he was in his own bubble, away from all of his problems. If only it wasn't all part of a rift that could put the whole universe and time itself at risk.

Arthur shook his head. He had to focus on the task at hand. Looking at the end of the parkour, he could see the faint light of the Time Piece that he needed to grab in order to seal the rift. He looked at the rotating and floating platforms he had to cross and at the blue void below. It was such a long drop and it seemed like there was no end to it. The badge that the Badge Seller had given him will definitely come in handy here.

Nervous but determined, he stepped forward. The balance of time is at stake and Hat Kid is counting on him. He will not back down until he gets his hands on this Time Piece and fixes the rift.

* * *

Hat Kid made it to the beach area and spotted the purple time rift. As she approached it, she could notice a small difference compared to the blue time rift. Sure enough, the orb was purple, but the small girl could also notice some small sparks coming out of it. The unstability of the rift must be causing that. Even more reasons to seal that purple rift as quickly as possible.

She brought her hand forward and touched the rift. Time froze for her and her vision turned white. When it cleared off, Hat Kid found herself in a strange place. She seemed to be in a small dock-like area with an odd glowing hatch. Instead of the blue time-space area with floating bubbles, it was gray and giant purple crystals could be seen in the background from a distance. Unlike the peaceful atmosphere from the blue rift, this one was... dreary. Almost dead. Hat Kid didn't like it.

The purple-hatted girl spotted a Mafia man leaning against the hatch. Huh? What was he doing here? Curious, Hat Kid approached him.

"Hello, little child. This is Mafia time rift. Time Piece hit Mafia in head, and now time rift filled with Mafia thoughts and dreams," the Mafia man explained. "This time rift is simple. Simple like Mafia, just how Mafia like it. Rules of time rift: If you fall, you start over."

Hat Kid's eyes perked with interest. So you can't die when you fall into the void of a Time Rift? That's actually good to know, but that still didn't mean she wanted to give it a try. Though that meant that it probably works the same in a blue time rift. Therefore, if Arthur fails one of his jumps on his end, he could still come back and try again. This new information made Hat Kid feel a bit relieved.

"You need Rift Pons to go deeper," the Mafia man continued as he pulled out a golden pon containing a crown inside it. "Mafia let you have this pon. This hatch only needs one. Others might need more. Make sure you look everywhere." The goon handed the Rift Pon over to Hat Kid, and she took it.

"Thank you!" Hat Kid said with an appreciative smile. The Mafia man nodded at her.

"That is all the rules. Please tread carefully in Mafia time rift. Mafia like to experience past," the goon said as he leaned back against the hatch. Hat Kid nodded.

The purple-hatted girl approached the hatch with the rift pon in her hand. Suddenly, the pon was sucked towards the hatch, and it opened after that.

Hat Kid was about to jump in, but then she spotted something poking out from the top of a small building on her left. Curious, she climbed up and saw a pile of fish. But what caught her attention was the picture on the ground. She picked it up, but she couldn't read it since the picture was blurry. Despite that, she had a feeling that it was important somehow.

Hat Kid shrugged and put the picture in her pocket. If there are more of these in the next levels, she should try to look for them. For now, there doesn't seem to be any more pictures here. So she should probably move on.

The small girl jumped in the hatch, ready to proceed to the next level.

* * *

Arthur had been able to cross the first rotating platform. He then jumped on other platforms that were turning on themselves, while avoiding sleeping raccoons on the way. After that, he jumped on... giant floating cookies to get across? Strange... He continued to jump on a few more platforms. All that jumping above an endless void was a bit stressful for him, but he was getting better at it.

Finally, he had almost reached the end. The last platform was a long rotating one with blue spikes, and at the end of it was the Time Piece. It seemed to be stuck on one side of the platform, which means he would have to time this right and grab it when the surface it was on faces upward.

_'Alright, Arthur... You can do it,'_ Arthur thought as he took a deep breathe. He was preparing himself mentally for this.

After a minute, the twelve-year-old boy nodded and readied himself. He waited until the platform was in the right position, then he jumped on it and rushed to the end as fast as he could. He dove and grabbed the Time Piece just in time before the platform would flip him downward and into the blue void below.

As soon as he grabbed the magical hourglass, his vision turned white and cleared within a few seconds. He looked around and found himself back in the bazaar. He turned around and noticed that the blue time rift was now gone. He then looked down at the Time Piece in his hands. He... did it? He managed to jump from platforms to platforms and seal a rift? It almost seemed unreal, but he did.

Arthur smiled and put the Time Piece in his pocket. Now that the blue time rift was taken care of, he should probably go at the beach and wait for Hat Kid to finish her job with the purple time rift.

* * *

After Hat Kid jumped in the hatch, she found herself in a different dock area with crates and piles of fish laying around, and a ship called 'S.S. None-of-your-business!' could be seen in the distance.

The small girl spotted the hatch that led to the next level. The number '3' appeared above it. She concluded that it was the amount of rift pons she needed to unlock the hatch. She looked around and saw a few of these rift pons laying around. She proceeded to collect all of them, and she also found another picture hidden behind a small building. After that, she used three of her pons to unlock the hatch and jumped in it.

She landed in another dock area. A few Mafia men were here, cheering at the same ship she saw in the previous level. From a distance, Hat Kid spotted the Mafia Boss, or what seemed to be a representation of him, giving a speech to other Mafia men on the ship. Though she couldn't hear what he was saying. It didn't matter, she was here for the rift pons and that was it.

Three Mafia goons gathered around a huge pile of fish spotted Hat Kid and tried to attack her. The purple-hatted girl retaliated with a homing attack and a few good whacks of her umbrella, and all three were out within a few seconds. Two of them each dropped a rift pon after being knocked unconscious. She picked them up and continued to search around for the other pons. She found them on top of a few buildings, as well two other pictures. She unlocked the next hatch with four rift pons and jumped into it.

The next level was different. Hat Kid was on the ship now. She could see piles of fish laying around with a few rats nibbling into them. Gross... The Mafia Boss was also here at the front of the ship, standing on top of a crate with a pile of gold behind him, looking at the horizon. A few Mafia men were also here, just dancing. None of them paid attention to the purple-hatted girl, except for one near the hatch who motioned for her to come over. It was the same Mafia man who spoke to her when she first entered the time rift. She approached him with a smile.

"Has little girl noticed that unspent Rift Pons are kept each floor? No need to get every single pon," the Mafia man explained. Hat Kid's eyes widened. She checked her pockets and pulled out two rift pons that were left of what she collected in the previous levels. That new information was good to know. If she needed to, she could always use the unspent pons she collected to proceed to the next levels more quickly.

"Good luck! Mafia has opened entrance to next floor for you!" the goon said with a smile. Hat Kid smiled and nodded in appreciation. Maybe not all Mafia men were jerks after all.

Before she could proceed, Hat Kid spotted another picture on top of the ship. She used an opened parasol to boost herself up, and she grabbed the picture. She returned to the hatch and jumped into it.

In the next level, she landed on top of a fountain in a mini plaza, and was confused to see Mafia men rolling around on top of huge morsels of meat. She collected the pons of this area, while being careful to not get rolled over by the giant meats. She also searched around for more pictures, but she couldn't find any. After that, she proceeded to the next level.

This time, Hat Kid landed in some kind of small town. Some Mafia men were here and spotted the small girl. Not appreciating her presence, they began to throw empty cans at her. Hat Kid quickly dodged them in anticipation, before giving the goons an irritated glare. How rude! She proceeded to beat every single one of them with her umbrella. After that, she was able to collect the rift pons and a picture under a quay. She unlocked the next hatch and jumped into it.

Hat Kid landed on a platform and her eyes widened. Sitting on an abandoned bird nest was a sparkling purple orb. The heart of the Time Rift itself! At last, she found it! Remembering what was said in her book, she had to destroy it and grab the Time Piece to fully seal the time rift.

With a nod, she pulled out her umbrella and walked up to the rift. She whacked it and the orb bounced away, though a small crack could be seen in it. She whacked it another time, the crack grew bigger. She did a homing attack on it, then finished it off by jumping on it.

The heart exploded, flashing many colors, before it vanished. A Time Piece appeared in its place. Hat Kid smiled and grabbed the Time Piece. White filled her vision, and after a few seconds, she was back at the beach in Mafia Town. She looked down at her hands to see the Time Piece and... a book? Where did it come from?

"Welcome back to the world of the living, kid," a familiar voice said.

Hat Kid looked up and saw Arthur leaning against the tent with his hands resting on his belt. She smiled and walked up to him.

"Took your time, I see. A little longer and I was gonna have to sleep on the sand through the whole night," Arthur said in a joking tone. Hat Kid teasingly stuck her tongue out at him in response.

However, now that she thinks about it, it was already sunset in Mafia Town. Wow, did it really take her that long to seal the rift? Well, it is true that she had to go through some levels and gather a few things to proceed. No wonder it took her so long.

"On a more serious note, the blue time rift is no longer a problem too," Arthur said as he pulled out the Time Piece he grabbed in the blue rift as proof of his success. Hat Kid smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

Arthur then noticed the book in Hat Kid's hands and asked, "Whatcha got here?" curiously. Hat Kid shrugged. She had no idea how she got the book. It just appeared when she left the time rift. Arthur got closer to read the title.

"'Mafia's Grand Voyage'? Huh... You got that in the time rift?" Arthur asked perplexed. Hat Kid nodded. "Well, let's give it a read then. Perhaps it will tell us more about the Mafia."

Hat Kid turned the first page. It showed a picture of numerous Mafia men standing in front of a factory that had a sign at the entrance showing the face of a smiling Mafia Boss and a fish drawn on it.

The next page showed the Mafia Boss holding a broom in his hand. He had a tired and glum expression on his face. He seemed to be dreaming about living on an island paradise, away from all the stress and problems from work.

The third page showed the Mafia Boss and a couple of Mafia men standing on a large ship. Mafia women dressed in pink instead of blue were waving them goodbye. It seemed like the Mafia was ready to venture into the unknown, probably to find the island paradise that the Mafia Boss was dreaming of.

The fourth page showed the Mafia men having fun on the ship. Two playing volleyball, while one was relaxing on a chair with sunglasses on.

The fifth page showed the ship nearing a cozy island town with a castle-like tower in the middle of it. Hat Kid and Arthur figured that it was the island that would soon become Mafia Town.

And finally, the last page showed the Mafia men messing around, trashing the whole town, throwing TNT barrels and rolling huge pieces of meat everywhere. The Mafia Boss was proudly planting a red flag on the ground with 'Mafia Town #1' written on it, officially declaring the island as 'Mafia Town'.

And that was the end of the book. So Hat Kid closed it.

"I guess that explains how the Mafia got here in the first place," Arthur stated. Hat Kid nodded. So that must be what the pictures she found in the time rift were about. They tell the story of whoever had their head hit by the Time Piece. Interesting. She will have to read the Time Rift section again to learn more about it.

Arthur sighed and said, "You know... I understand why the Mafia wanted a change of place. I mean, the way they were living was clearly not the best. But trashing a town and ruining people's lives to build yourself a piece of paradise... It's wrong. No wonder Mustache Girl wants them out."

Hat Kid nodded, agreeing with the boy. Sure, the Mafia may not have had the best lifestyle before and some of them might be nicer than others, but taking over this town and bullying the townfolks were bad things to do. She can't imagine how much Mustache Girl must have lost after the Mafia set foot in her home town. The small girl couldn't help but feel bad for her, understanding her motivations for wanting the Mafia dead. Despite that, she still couldn't let Mustache Girl get her hands on the Time Pieces. Who knows how much damage she may cause with them in her possession.

"Anyway, we should get back to the spaceship. It's getting dark," Arthur said as he watched the sun set behind the ocean.

Hat Kid nodded and put the book away. She grabbed Arthur's hand and held her Time Piece upward. They flew up and disappeared in the sky.

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! So, aside from Cheating the Race, it's worth to say that the chapter about Mafia Town is officially done with. Next up is Battle of the Birds. Honestly, I'm glad to be done with Mafia Town. I think I need a change of scenery for this story, and the next chapter comes right in time.**

**I just have one question for you guys. What do you all think of Arthur and his character so far? I like to hear my readers's opinion on the characters of my stories to know their reaction and what they think of them. It's a way for me to see how I can improve the characters's development.**

**Anyway, it's review time!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** And the light of it will come in the next chapter. ;)**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** I'm really glad you're enjoying my story. You are the one who inspired me the most to write a story about AhiT, so I'm glad you like it. The Battle of the Birds will start in the next chapter. Be ready for it! ;)**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** Yeah, I feel like Mustache Girl deserves more appearances in the story. During the whole game, we don't see her between Act 4 of Mafia Town and the Final Act. But it is clear that she affected the events of the game more than it shows (In the basement of Dead Bird Studio for example, where you can see her signature drawn on one of the boards in the office.) Anyway, thank you! ^^**

_**To Shadow Necro:**_** Hmmm, maybeeee... UwU *chuckles* On a more serious note, no, I'm not planning to add romance between Arthur and Hat Kid. I see them having another kind of bond. One that will be revealed near the end of the story. And yeah, we all know what happens to the Mafia Boss after the previous chapter. XD**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Yeah, I remember him acting nice and reassuring Hat Kid when you sit on one of the stools at the bar in Act 4. So I figured I could give him a bigger role in my story. I'm glad you like this addition. :)**

**That's it for today, folks! See you in the next chapter!**


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

After sealing the time rifts and getting back on the spaceship, Arthur and Hat Kid were greeted by Cooking Cat who was relieved to see the children safe and sound. For their efforts, she had treated them to dinner. The two children enjoyed the food she prepared. It was spaghetti bolognese and fruit salad. They also ate the rest of the cupcakes made by the cat chef.

After that, they decided to go to bed since it was late. Hat Kid had offered Cooking Cat to spend the night on the spaceship to thank her for the meal. The cat chef accepted and slept on some pillows she set in the kitchen. The two children were surprised by her choice of place to sleep, but she told them that it was fine and that way she could start cooking for them once she wakes up. She sure lived up to her name as 'Cooking Cat'.

The next day, after eating some breakfast, Arthur and Hat Kid were gathered in the main room to talk about their next move.

"I think Mafia Town has been pretty much picked clean of any Time Pieces left. I reckon it may be time to start looking for someplace else to look for them. They could be anywhere on the planet, so the question is where should we go look first?" Arthur asked as he was leaning against the wall, his hands on his belt.

Hat Kid put her hand on her chin in thought. Arthur had a point, there was no sign of any more Time Pieces in Mafia Town. Therefore it would be best to start searching elsewhere. The problem is this planet was huge. There could be thousands of places where her Time Pieces could have landed. So where could they begin their research without wasting too much time?

"What about Dead Bird Studio?" Cooking Cat suggested as she approached the duo. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at her curiously.

"Dead Bird Studio? What is it?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"It's a movie studio that is located in the desert area past the ocean east of Mafia Town. Word recently got out that hourglasses falling from the sky have been seen landing in the area," Cooking Cat explained. Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes perked up with interest.

"Really? Can you show us where it is?" the twelve-year-old boy asked.

Cooking Cat nodded and motioned for the duo to follow her as she headed towards the window. The two children followed the cat chef. She pointed at a section of the desert area on the planet where a building could be faintly seen.

"It's right over there. I've never been there myself, but I've seen it on a map once," Cooking Cat said.

"Well, it seems like a good place to start. I mean, that's the only lead we've got for now," Arthur said, looking at Hat Kid for approval. The small girl nodded, agreeing that it was where they should go first.

"I've also heard that two movie directors are working there right now, and they don't really see eye-to-eye. They're both competing to win a trophy for the annual bird movie award," the cat chef continued. Arthur gave her a confused look.

"Annual bird movie award? You mean... birds are making movies?" the young boy asked puzzled. Cooking Cat nodded.

"Yes. One of the two movie directors is a penguin and the other one... well, I'm not really sure what kind of bird he is..." the cat chef said as she rubbed the back of her head. Arthur slowly nodded. It seems like Cooking Cat is not the only animal to act like a human. He should start expecting that, considering this world is different from his. "But the point is if they saw your Time Pieces, I'm pretty sure they'll want to use them as props to improve their movies," she added.

Arthur and Hat Kid both looked at each other worriedly. If these movie directors got their hands on the Time Pieces, that will make things more difficult. They really hoped that they could just tell them that the hourglasses belonged to them and ask them to give them back, but something told the duo that it won't be as easy as they hoped.

Arthur sighed and said, "Well, hopefully we can negotiate with them to get the Time Pieces back. We should hurry though. If you got wind of Time Pieces falling over there, then there's no doubt that Mustache Girl will be headed there too. We have an advantage on her though, since we can directly land at the studio. But that doesn't mean we should slack off." Hat Kid nodded firmly in agreement.

"In that case, I'll leave you to it. I must return to Mafia Town and prepare the next meals for the Mafia. I've left some food for you in the fridge. Just heat it up before you eat. If you need me for anything, just give me a call," Cooking Cat said as she wrote her phone number on a piece of paper and handed it over to them. Hat Kid took it and slid it in her pocket.

"Thank you!" Hat Kid said with a smile.

"Thanks. See you soon, Cooking Cat," Arthur said with a smile.

"See you, dearies! Take care!" the cat chef said, smiling at the two. She headed towards the hatch and opened it, before jumping off to land in Mafia Town.

"Okay, let's check out that movie studio. You ready to head down?" Arthur asked Hat Kid. The purple-hatted girl nodded.

"Let's go then. Hopefully this will go down without a fight," the young boy muttered, hoping that their attempt at retrieving the Time Pieces will not end up like their encounter with the Mafia Boss this time.

Hat Kid opened the hatch and Arthur grabbed her hand. The two of them jumped off and aimed for Dead Bird Studio.

* * *

The duo landed in a parking lot, where a few cars were parked. But cars weren't the only things parked here, they could also see... a train parked on some rails nearby? What was it doing here?

As they looked before them, they saw a large building. The big sign at the entrance said 'Dead Bird Studio'.

"There it is. Dead Bird Studio... I don't know why I imagined it bigger," Arthur said with a shrug.

**"Greetings, young ones."**

Arthur and Hat Kid jolted at the unexpected voice and quickly turned around to look at the person who spoke. It was none other than the Badge Seller. It looks like their habit of randomly appearing behind them hadn't changed since.

"Oh, Badge Seller. Hey," Arthur said, not too surprised to see them appear out of nowhere. "What are you doing here?"

**"Just passing by. I moved here after the recent... incident that occured in Mafia Town,"** the Badge Seller explained. Arthur and Hat Kid nodded understandingly. Right... The lava incident that happened in Mafia Town two days ago.

**"Anyway, I may have something else to sell that might interest you, young miss,"** the Badge Seller said to Hat Kid. They pulled out a purple badge with a golden scooter drawn on it. **"This badge will add a new ability to your Sprint Hat. When you equip it, you can summon a scooter and ride it to go faster than its usual speed. Very useful if you are in a hurry or if you just want to have fun. It's 500 pons."**

Hat Kid's eyes brightened up in excitation. Riding a scooter? Heck yeah! She checked her pockets for pons. However, her smile dropped as she realized that she only had 185 pons. Not enough to buy the badge. If Mustache Girl hadn't stolen her pons the other day, maybe she could have afforded it. She sighed sadly.

Arthur noticed the girl's expression and understood what was the problem. He looked down at his pockets. Well... Maybe he could spare some of the pons he collected during his time in Mafia Town. It wasn't like he was planning to use them anytime soon anyway. He pulled out a few bags of pons and counted how many he had.

"145 pons. Still not enough... Sorry, kid. Can't buy the badge for you," Arthur said, giving her an apologetic look. Hat Kid nodded, before smiling at him. Even though she couldn't buy the badge, she still appreciated the boy's attempt to share his pons with her.

**"Do not worry. If our paths cross once more, you can try to buy it again when you have enough money,"** the Badge Seller said with a smile as they put the badge back in their backpack. **"Anyway, how is your quest to find the Time Pieces coming along?"**

Hat Kid raised an eyebrow at them suspiciously upon hearing the sudden question. How did they know about her Time Pieces? She doesn't remember talking about them to the glitchy vendor.

"Don't worry, kid. They have their, uh, own 'ways' to know about all sorts of stuff," Arthur deadpanned, giving the glitchy vendor a knowing look. This statement made the Badge Seller chuckle in amusement. Hat Kid was confused by that response, but she simply shrugged. If Arthur said it was fine, then she had no reason to question it.

"Well, we've found nine out of fifty-six so far. Still a lot more to go..." the twelve-year-old boy said, still a bit discouraged that they had to find so many Time Pieces.

**"The road may still be long and you might encounter a lot of danger on your way, but I can see it in your eyes... you are both determined. You two have different personalities, but your hearts are the same. Good. Pure. Combined together, there is a lot more than can be done,"** the Badge Seller reassured with a smile. Hat Kid smiled at the glitchy vendor, appreciating their pep talk. Arthur on the other hand was less convinced.

"Maybe... I don't know what a good heart is anymore... I'm not even sure what mine is..." the young boy muttered sadly. Hat Kid gave him a concerned look. Does he really think so little of himself, even after all the good actions he did in Mafia Town?

**"You will find the answer soon, young man. Give it time,"** the Badge Seller said with a reassuring smile.

"We'll see..." Arthur said with a sigh. He really wished he could believe them, but he can't. The Badge Seller could see his doubt, but they decided not to push it. Eventually, this boy will learn and understand what they mean. It was just a matter of time.

**"Anyway, I must be going now. I wish you two good luck in your quest. And if our paths cross again, come see me. I may have more items of interest for you both,"** the Badge Seller said.

"Okay. See you," Arthur said.

The Badge Seller nodded before they walked away. The children watched them go behind a car and disappear out of sight. The way the glitchy vendor leaves without a trace will always be a mystery. Arthur felt a hand on his shoulder, he looked to his side and saw Hat Kid giving him a worried look. She was concerned about him because of what he said earlier.

However, Arthur simply pushed her hand away and said, "I'm fine. Let's just go in already." He then walked towards the studio.

Hat Kid sighed as she followed him. She really wanted to help him, but the boy just keeps dismissing her concerns or attempts to talk to him. She hoped that one day he will be comfortable enough to open up to her, so she can help him through the struggles he is facing.

The two children walked through the automatic doors and into the studio. When they arrived, they saw two persons... or rather two _birds_ arguing.

The one on the left was a... strange golden-yellow... bird or something? Probably an owl? A strange one if that was the case... He had two long ears, sharp teeth, and his eyes were invisible - probably hidden under all the feathers. He was wearing a black train conductor hat and uniform with a purple tie, black pants and shoes.

The other one on the right was a blue penguin with a disco getup. He was wearing a large black afro with a comb on it, large yellow eyebrows, star-shaped sunglasses, a red jacket with golden buttons, blue jeans with a brown belt, and high-rise red shoes that was giving him an extra height. He also had a hand-held microphone in his hand.

They must be the two movie directors that Cooking Cat told them about. And judging by how they talked to each other, she was right on the fact that they didn't see eye-to-eye. They were so focused on bickering with each other that they didn't even notice the children's presence here.

"This movie studio is too big for the both of us, DJ _Grooves_! The movie should be made by _**REAL**_ birds!" the movie director on the left spat angrily in a Scottish accent. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other with a raised eyebrow. Was _he_ a real bird himself? Well, they don't really want to know.

"You Moon Penguins are just gonna write some loud, **noisy** drivel! If I wanted a bunch of _**peck necks**_ to dance around while on bird seed, I'd visit me grandchildren!" the strange bird continued, smirking at his last sentence.

_''Peck neck'? Huh... Must be some kind of insult in this world... or at least for him,'_ Arthur thought. Well, it was definitely more polite than all of the ones he had heard in the past.

The other movie director, DJ Grooves, only smiled and said, "Nonsense, darling, nonsense! You Owl Express birds are just going to record another boring train-related western! You've done so for the last ten years, darling!" The strange yellow bird grew a shocked expression on his face.

"Wha?! No we haven't, yer buffon!" he huffed as he crossed his arms in denial. However, DJ Grooves's statement was proven to be true as Arthur and Hat Kid looked on the wall and saw different western movie posters pinned on it.

The fact that this movie director was producing western-related movies caught Arthur's interest, since he was a big fan of those types of movies as well.

"Conductor, darling, this year _we'll_ be winning the annual bird movie award, as our new movie props will bring in the audiences!" DJ Grooves said as he snapped his fingers.

Four penguins wearing a black suit, a black and purple fedora, and sunglasses walked up behind the disco penguin, carrying a large glass container with two shiny items in it. Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes widened. They were Time Pieces!

"These shiny things fell from the sky! They will light our movie sets and fill them with glimmer!" Dj Grooves said elegantly. The Conductor only huffed in response.

"Oh yeah? Well, this time around, we're _**ALSO**_ spicing it up with our newest movie props!" the strange owl said as he turned around and made a motion with his hand.

Four owls wearing different colored coats and hats approached with a glass container that had three other Time Pieces inside of it. Arthur and Hat Kid glanced at each other worriedly. Like they were fearing, both movie directors had their hands on the Time Pieces. This was going to make things much harder for them.

"These hourglass thingies will be the grand jewel in our train heist western!" the Conductor said as he crossed his arms smugly.

A long awkward silence occured in the room as both directors stared at their competitor's glass container, and after a few seconds, realization hit the both of them.

"**WHADDA WHAT?!**" the Conductor yelled in shock, causing Arthur and Hat Kid to jump in surprise. The strange owl's shocked expression turned into a angry one and he said through gritted teeth, "You no-good dirty **peck necks**! You copied our props!". DJ Grooves calmly huffed at the sudden accusation.

"I would never, darling! Clearly you're the one who took inspiration in my flashy new props," the disco penguin said, crossing his arms. The Conductor growled in response.

"That **does it**! Get outta here with ye, I've got a movie to record!" the strange owl hissed angrily, pointing at the double doors leading to what seemed to be DJ Grooves's side of the studio.

"Fine by me, darling. But we'll be the ones who win the annual bird movie award, mark my word!" DJ Grooves said calmly. Then he and the penguins who are carrying the glass container with the Time Pieces inside walked towards the double doors that led to their side of the studio. As soon as they walked inside and closed the doors behind them, the Conductor smirked and cracked his knuckles.

"Oh yeah?! Let's see how well ye do when you **can't** get into the reception!" the strange owl said, picking up two wooden planks, a hammer and a few nails, and walking up to DJ Grooves's double doors. He then proceeded to board up the doors, locking the moon penguins inside.

"_**GWAHAHAHAHA!**_" the Conductor laughed manically. His evil smile suddenly dropped as he realized something. "Oh wait, shutting the peck necks inside the studio will force them to work harder."

Arthur snorted and quietly whispered, "Idiot," forcing Hat Kid to suppress a laugh.

The Conductor shrugged and walked away, heading towards the double doors leading to his own side of the studio.

"Alright, time to go, owls! Let's make our killer movie!" he ordered. Before heading inside, the Conductor looked at the receptionist and said, "Oh, and receptionist, can yer _PLEASE_ close off that vent already? I don't want the smell of penguin to come anywhere near my crew!", pointing up at a vent where the cover seemed loose. The receptionist simply gave an uninterested nod.

The Conductor then headed inside the studio, along with the four owls carrying the glass container.

"Heh... It's like watching two cats fight over a piece of meat. Kinda reminds me of us when we first met," Arthur said to Hat Kid with a chuckle, making the small girl giggle. Indeed, back when they first met and were forced to team up with each other, all they did was bickering and fighting. It was strange to remember that now that they are allies.

The two children looked up and saw two signs pinned on the wall. '**No** humans allowed in!" was written on one and the other said 'Only **birds** allowed in!'. Looking at the double doors on each side, they were both guarded by either an owl or a penguin. It meant that they couldn't get in the studio through the double doors.

"Well, it doesn't seem like we're going in through those doors. I guess we can talk to the receptionist and ask to meet both movie directors. Hopefully, they'll agree to give us our Time Pieces back," Arthur suggested. Hat Kid nodded.

The duo walked up to the counter to talk to the receptionist. He was a rather tall owl with red feathers, wearing a white t-shirt and dark blue pants with suspenders. He seemed busy typing something on his computer.

"Uh, hello?" Arthur carefully greeted. The receptionist glanced away from his screen and noticed the two children standing there.

"Oh, hey lil' chirpers. They're recording right now, so no one is allowed in," the owl said dismissively.

"Look, we'd just like to talk with the movie directors. They have something that belongs to us and we'd like to have it back," Arthur insisted.

"Not my problem. We're only insured for bird staff. Letting you in would be a liability! Besides, they have no time to be bothered by kids," the receptionist replied firmly. "Don't even think about sneaking inside."

"Hmm..." Hat Kid hummed, putting her hand on her chin as she considered the option. The receptionist noticed that and gave her a stern look.

"I'm serious. If I catch either of you in the studio, you'll receive a ticket so big you'll be in debt for years," he warned in a serious tone.

"Calm down, buddy. We're not here to cause trouble at all," Arthur said in an irritated tone.

"Good, I'm gonna hold you to that. And I wouldn't recommend changing your mind, young man," the receptionist answered sternly. Arthur rolled his eyes at him in response.

"Whatever. Come on, Hat Kid," the young boy said as he walked away. Hat Kid sent a glare at the receptionist before following Arthur. The receptionist gave her an unamused look, before looking back at his screen and continuing his work.

The duo stopped at the corner of the room to discuss their options. Arthur glanced at the receptionist to make sure he wasn't looking. Thankfully, he was busy with his work and didn't pay attention to the children.

"Guess they're not letting us talk to the directors either. I don't know about you, but I think we're a bit out of options here," Arthur whispered to Hat Kid.

The purple-hatted girl put her hand on her chin in thought. If they weren't allowed to go through the doors or to speak with the movie directors, the alternative would be... She looked up at the vent that was still not fixed and smiled mischeviously. Arthur gave her a confused look before he looked behind and realized what she wanted to do. He looked back at her and shook his head firmly.

"Ohhh no... No, we can't do that, kid. If we get caught, you know we'll be up the creek without a paddle!" Arthur whispered anxiously, trying to change the girl's mind.

Hat Kid crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow as to ask 'You got a better idea maybe?'.

"Don't give me that look! This is a bad idea. I don't know, anything seems like a bad idea at this point..." Arthur whispered, before he sighed and looked down as he put his hands on his hips. He didn't want to get in trouble. He had been in enough trouble with his dad and other people before, he didn't want to add more to the pile.

He looked up again, but noticed that Hat Kid was no longer here.

"Hat Kid?" Arthur asked in a panicked tone, as he looked around frantically. "Don't tell me she..." his sentence was cut short when he saw Hat Kid standing in front of a sunglasses dispenser. He let out a sigh, relieved that she didn't go to try and reach the vent.

"What are you doing, kid?" the twelve-year-old boy asked puzzled as he joined her.

Hat Kid didn't answer and simply cranked the lever of the dispenser excitedly. A pair of sunglasses fell in the receptacle. The small girl smiled and put them on. She turned to look at Arthur and gave him a huge grin, while putting her hands on her hips proudly.

Arthur shook his head in amusement and said, "You are something else. You know that?". Hat Kid teasingly stuck her tongue out at him. She cranked the lever again and received a second pair of sunglasses. She took them and handed them out to Arthur so he could try them on.

"Nah, I'm not putting that on. I'll look stupid," Arthur said, shaking his head.

"Please?" Hat Kid pleaded as she slightly pushed her sunglasses down and looked at Arthur with puppy eyes. Oh God, not the puppy eyes... The way she was doing it was making it so hard for him to resist.

The twelve-year-old boy sighed in defeat and said, "Alright... I'll put them on." Hat Kid grinned victoriously and gave him the sunglasses. Arthur rolled his eyes and put the sunglasses on.

"So... am I a star yet, kid?" Arthur asked jokingly. Hat Kid giggled in response, before clapping her hands excitedly. In her opinion, the sunglasses looked good on him.

The small girl wanted to take another pair of sunglasses to add them on her face and make herself look funny. She cranked the lever again. However, the dispenser suddenly malfunctioned and blew up on the spot, startling both children. All that was left of the machine now was the glass container with sunglasses comically placed on it.

"The hell?" Arthur asked confused.

Unfortunately for him and Hat Kid, the receptionist saw that and he let out an exhale in annoyance.

"Not even a few minutes here and you're already causing mischief. Come over here," the tall owl sternly told the duo. Arthur and Hat Kid gulped and nervously walked up to the counter. They watched as the receptionist printed something out.

"That's the fine for property damage. I expect you two to return the aforementioned amount of pons next week," he said in a serious tone, handing them the printed paper. Arthur took the paper and read it. His and Hat Kid's eyes widened and their jaws dropped when they saw how much they had to pay.

"**3,000 pons**?! You trying to ruin us or what?!" Arthur asked in a shocked and angry tone. Seriously, how can they even repay this? They barely had 400 pons altogether.

"That was the price it costed. Next time, think twice before messing around with private property!" the receptionist answered angrily.

"And how are we supposed to repay that?! We don't have enough!" Arthur retorted with a glare, waving the fine in his hand back and forth.

"Not my problem! Get a job or something! Now scram before I'm forced to call security!" the receptionist replied harshly, pointing at the exit. The two children gave him a nasty look.

"Bastard..." Arthur muttered, before he walked away furiously, with Hat Kid following him. He stopped in front of the exit, looking at the fine, then at the vent where Hat Kid wanted to sneak through. With a firm nod, he put the bill in his pocket before looking at Hat Kid.

"You know what? We don't got much to lose at this point. We sneak in through the vent, retrieve the Time Pieces ourselves, and get out before anyone sees us," Arthur whispered to Hat Kid, making sure that the receptionist wasn't listening. Thankfully, the tall owl had gone back to his business on his computer. "As for the bill... well... we'll worry about it later." Hopefully, it won't matter since they are living on a spaceship.

Hat Kid nodded firmly in agreement. Since they were now indebted and kicked out of the studio, sneaking inside to retrieve the Time Pieces was their only option. That should also teach the receptionist a lesson for being so rude.

Looking around for a way to reach the vent, the duo noticed that DJ Grooves's trophy case could give them enough boost to make their way up to it. While making sure that no one was watching, they quietly climbed up on the trophy case and tiptoed to try and reach the vent. Unfortunately, the receptionist turned his head at this moment and spotted them.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?! Get down from there!" he shouted angrily.

Drats! They have been spotted! Arthur and Hat Kid quickly hopped their way up to the vent. Hat Kid quickly ripped the vent cover and climbed inside, followed closely by Arthur. The receptionist growled as he watched the children disappear out of sight.

"Fine then! I'm calling security!" he muttered angrily, picking up the phone and dialing a number. If these kids were planning to cause trouble in the studio, then he will have them sent to jail at once.

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! So here it is! Dead Bird Studio! As you can see, Arthur and Hat Kid are already in trouble, but we all know who is gonna save them from that. I'm sure you are all impatient to know which director will win the award in this story. Don't worry, the answer will come in a few chapters. It's just a matter of time. ;)**

**Anyway, time to answer some reviews!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Yeah, Arthur's sarcasm is also one of the things I like to write about him. And indeed, he struggles a lot with the idea of being called a hero. It's definitely something new to him. You'll soon see his reaction to DJ Grooves's kindness. ;) And nope, I'm not gonna say who wins now. I'll let you guys find that out in a few chapters. ;)**

_**To Maoshin:**_** I couldn't agree more. ^^**

_**To Mad King C:**_** First time is always the hardest. Don't worry, I feel you. Anyway, thank you!**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** Who said it was going to end? This is only getting started. ;) Although Arthur doesn't consider Hat Kid a friend just yet. He's still dealing with trust issues at the moment. But things will change soon. ;)**

**That's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

After going through the vent, Arthur and Hat Kid jumped on some backstage boxes in DJ Grooves's side of the studio. They quickly looked up at the vent to make sure no one was following them. Thankfully, they were in the clear. For now at least...

"Okay, we're in. We don't got a lot of time though. This guy must have already called the security by now. So we do this thing and get out before anyone spots us," Arthur whispered to Hat Kid. The small girl nodded in agreement.

The two children looked up ahead and spotted the four moon penguins carrying the countainer with the Time Pieces stepping on a large conveyor. One of them flipped the switch. The conveyor was activated and it transported the penguins out of the duo's sight. Seconds later, the conveyor came back to its original position but the penguins and the Time Pieces were no longer here.

"Let's try to catch up with these guys and see where they're taking the Time Pieces," Arthur whispered, receiving a nod from Hat Kid. The small girl then formed a finger gun with her hand as if she was in an infiltration mission. Arthur sighed and shook his head unamused. Can't this girl take things seriously for once?

The duo began to make their way up towards the conveyor, sneaking past a penguin who was talking on the phone. They arrived behind the cameras filming a disco scene, with DJ Grooves sitting on a movie director chair.

"Alright, let's take it from the top! Action!" DJ Grooves said to a penguin actor on the scene.

The two children snuck past the disco penguin, making sure to stay low and avoid line of sight. If one of them gets spotted, they will be busted. They managed to reach the conveyor. Hat Kid flipped the switch and the conveyor took the duo to the Conductor's side of the studio.

Arthur and Hat Kid arrived before a western scene being filmed by other cameras, and the Conductor was also here on a movie director chair.

"Let's make this movie happen! Owls, in position! Action!" the Conductor said to the owl actors on the scene.

The duo spotted another conveyor in the distance behind a saloon-type building. However, the passage was occupied by the cameras, the Conductor, and the owls. No way to sneak through it without getting spotted. Looking for another way around, they saw a pipe on the side that could allow them to get past the owls. They walked on it and reached the other side. Hat Kid then spotted a yarn at the top left side of the building, though she couldn't reach it from her position. She made a mental note to find a passage to could lead to it.

The two children continued and had to knock over a cactus cutout that was blocking their path. Inside the building were different costumes on some hangers and a few owls patrolling the area – two of them were standing guard in front of an elevator. The conveyor was right after the building. Seizing the opportunity at the right moment, Arthur and Hat Kid were able to sneak past all of the owls.

After reaching the end of the building, Hat Kid saw a passage on the left, probably leading up to the yarn she saw earlier. She used it and, sure enough, she found the yarn. It was a blue one with snowflakes on it and it felt cold to the touch. A new type of yarn! She would have to see if she can make a new hat later on.

Before heading down, the small girl spotted another yarn on a platform nearby. She could probably reach it by using the conveyor and climbing up the ladder. She went back to Arthur's side and pointed up at the yarn she saw.

The young boy sighed in annoyance. He knew that she needed those yarns to make herself new hats to gain new abilities, but they were in a hurry right now. Who knows how long they had before security comes in and warns everyone about their presence.

"Fine... but make it quick! We're in a bit of a hurry in case you have forgotten!" Arthur whispered in an irritated tone. Hat Kid only rolled her eyes in response. Of course, she hadn't forgotten! He needs to stop worrying all the time.

The purple-hatted girl snuck past another owl and jumped on the conveyor. She climbed up the ladder and managed to grab the yarn. She climbed back down on the conveyor and motioned for Arthur to flip the switch to activate it. The twelve-year-old boy waited for the owl to have his back turned, then he flipped the switch and quickly snuck past him. He was able to get on the conveyor before it could be out of reach.

The duo were now back on DJ Grooves's side. They saw that the disco penguin had moved here to record another scene, and they spotted a few penguins patrolling the area. However, there were still no sign of the penguins who were carrying the Time Pieces. Arthur and Hat Kid decided to keep moving anyway and hope they would eventually catch up with them.

Moving on tightropes and sneaking by three penguins, Hat Kid found a chest containing a relic on the way. It looked like a small model of a mountain with a small village and rails on it. After that, she and Arthur had to use some hanging sandbags to jump across platforms. It took the young boy some efforts and courage to jump across due to his fear of heights.

They were now back on the Conductor's side. The strange owl had also moved to record another scene here. Making sure to remain quiet, the duo were about to jump down on a platform below when suddenly...

"Hey! What do you think yer doing?!" the Conductor yelled angrily. Arthur and Hat Kid froze, fearing they had been spotted, but when they turned around, they realized the Conductor was just scolding one of the owl actors. "Cut! Cut! You weren't supposed to enter the scene just yet! What the **peck** are ye doing?!" He sighed before saying, "Take number #23. In position! Action!".

Arthur and Hat Kid sighed in relief. They quietly jumped down on the platform below and quickly hid behind some teepee cutouts to avoid being seen by an owl who was standing guard. They spotted another switch on the platform and figured it would call the next conveyor that would take them to another section of DJ Grooves's side.

Hat Kid waited for the owl to turn around, then quickly moved to the switch and flipped it, before going back to her hiding spot. The conveyor was called and it moved to their position. The owl who was standing guard seemed confused to see the conveyor moving here. Growing suspicious, he looked at the switch, then at the teepee cutouts. Arthur and Hat Kid noticed the owl's suspicion and they both began to feel nervous. It took some efforts for the boy to not start hyperventilating now as his anxiety started kicking in. Thankfully, he managed to calm himself down just in time after taking some deep breathes.

The owl decided to check behind the teepee cutouts just in case. Sensing that he was coming, the duo waited for the right moment and moved around the cutouts just as the owl checked their hiding spots. Arthur flipped the switch, and he and Hat Kid jumped on the conveyor as it started moving. The owl saw that no one was behind the teepee cutouts and shrugged. He turned around to go back to his original position, but was very confused to see that the conveyor was no longer here. Perhaps it was malfunctioning? He should talk about this to the owl engineers later so they can check it out.

The duo were once again back on DJ Grooves's side. They jumped on some big sound systems to avoid a penguin who was standing guard. Hat Kid opened a chest on the way and found another yarn. Sneaking behind another scene that DJ Grooves was recording, they reached another path. However, security cameras were installed along the way.

"Dammit... They've set cameras here. I don't see a way around them though... How are we gonna get past them?" Arthur whispered anxiously.

Hat Kid thought for a second. Nothing to hide from the cameras or go over. They will immediately be seen on the monitors if they walk in front of them. So the best solution was to shut them down somehow... The small girl turned around and noticed a power switch on the wall. She smiled. Shutting down the power will do the trick. She walked towards the power switch.

"Whoa, whoa! What are you doing?" Arthur asked her as he saw her head for the power switch. Hat Kid put her hand on the switch and the boy's eyes widened. "No no, don't-" Too late. She had already pulled the switch down, shutting off the electricty and sending the whole studio in darkness.

"Whadda what?!" they heard the Conductor yell from the other side of the studio.

"Hey! Who turned the lights off?!" DJ Grooves shouted in annoyance.

Arthur groaned and angrily said, "Nice going, you idiot! Now everyone will know something is wrong here!" Hat Kid crossed her arms and glared at the boy, not appreciating the way he was talking to her. Arthur ignored her glare and looked at the now disabled cameras. "Well, at least the cameras are off, so let's move before anyone comes over here!". With that said, they immediately started running past the disabled cameras.

"You no-good dirty **peck necks**! If you think ye can sabotage me movie by turning off the electricity... _**Hah!**_ That's not gonna work!" the Conductor shouted to the penguins from his side.

"I would never do such thing, darling! I'm fairly certain **you're** the one who sent one of your Express Owls to tamper with the electricity to ruin my wonderful scenes so you can win again!" DJ Grooves retorted with a shout.

"No I haven't, ye peck neck!" the Conductor shouted angrily.

"Whatever you say, darling! Now can someone turn the power back on? Then we'll take a break to figure out what just happened," DJ Grooves ordered to his fellow moon penguins.

"Oh crap! Let's hurry!" Arthur said to Hat Kid while the two of them were still running past the cameras. Thankfully, they were able to get past the last camera just as a moon penguin flipped the power switch, turning back on the electricity and the lights in the studio. That was close...

"I think they've gone over to DJ Grooves's side! Get them before they cause any more mischief!" someone shouted from afar. That voice... Oh crap! It was the receptionist with probably security guards looking for them!

"They're onto us... We need to pick up the pace, kid," Arthur whispered anxiously. Hat Kid nodded nervously.

The duo made their way to another conveyor and used it to reach another platform with teepee cutouts. They pushed a big red one over to make a bridge to the next platform. They snuck past two patrolling owls, then climbed up to a small gap in the wall to avoid being seen by a penguin who was walking down the narrow path. Once he passed through, the two children hopped down and went the way the penguin came from.

After jumping across a gap by using some sandbags, they found themselves on a long red carpet and walked up a ramp that had glowing star-shaped lamps hanging on each sides. Suddenly, they froze when they found themselves facing DJ Grooves who had his back turned on them.

"Magnificent! Stunning! This trophy is everything I desire... on the shelf of my living room!" the disco penguin said to himself dreamily, admiring a giant golden trophy. "Of course, this big trophy is just a plastic replica! The actual trophy is really tiny!"

Arthur lightly nudged Hat Kid and motioned his head back to quietly tell her they should get out of here before the disco penguin sees them. Hat Kid nodded in agreement. They turned around and were about to quietly walk away when...

"Now to figure out who turned off- Huh?" DJ Grooves began to say as he turned around, but he stopped when he spotted the two children.

Arthur and Hat Kid froze in their tracks. They slowly turned around, and to their horror, they saw DJ Grooves staring at them with a surprised and confused expression. Their eyes widened in fear, wondering how he would react to their presence. Was he going to yell at them? Call security and have them kicked out at once? However, to their surprise, the disco penguin's expression softened.

"Oh my! Oh my! What is that I see? Is it true inner beauty? Two innocent souls with a heart of gold?" DJ Grooves asked joyfully. Hat Kid gave him a surprised and flattered look, while Arthur simply raised an eyebrow at him in confusion. "Oh, no. It's just two little children. Hello!" he corrected himself, earning unamused looks from the duo. He then noticed that Arthur and Hat Kid were not birds.

"Oh wait, you're not penguins. That's good! I could use some non-penguin company around here, as all my penguins are frankly terrible actors!" the disco penguin said. Arthur and Hat Kid gave him a surprised look. This guy wasn't going to kick them out or tell on them? That's... good! Perhaps they had a chance to reason with him about giving them the Time Pieces back.

DJ Grooves noticed Arthur's cowboy hat and asked, "Oh, you're a fan of western movies, am I right?".

"I do. Is that a problem?" Arthur asked as he crossed his arms and gave him a skeptical look, remembering that the disco penguin didn't seem to like those types of movies. What was he going to say? Was he going to laugh at him? Make fun of him for liking western stuff?

"Oh, uh, no! Not at all, darling!" DJ Grooves quickly answered as he raised his hands in defence, not wanting to upset the boy. Arthur simply rolled his eyes in response. He didn't believe the disco penguin's words.

"There they are! Get them!" a voice suddenly shouted from behind. Arthur and Hat Kid didn't have time to react when two persons came behind them and restrained their arms.

"Whoa, hey! Get your hands off of us!" Arthur shouted angrily.

The children's captors forced them to turn around and the duo were facing the receptionist accompanied by a few security owls. The tall owl gave them a stern look.

"Destruction of property, trespassing, and many other mischief you've caused... You two are in **big** trouble," the receptionist said angrily. The two children gulped at the owl's tone.

"What's going on here?" DJ Grooves asked, confused by the scene happening before him.

"Oh, Mr. Grooves! Sorry about this. These little rascals broke the sunglasses dispenser, then snuck inside the studio without permission. Don't worry though, we'll have them sent to jail at once!" the receptionist explained, glaring at the duo. Arthur and Hat Kid gave him a fearful look. The jail?! That was just unfair!

DJ Grooves didn't seem happy to hear that. Sending them to jail? But they were just kids! Sure, maybe they did break the dispenser and enter the studio without permission, but they didn't deserve such harsh treatment. He couldn't just sit and watch. He had to do something! The disco penguin smiled as he had an idea.

"Receptionist, how about you let me take care of this?" DJ Grooves said as he stepped forward. The tall owl seemed surprised to hear that.

"W-What? Mr. Grooves, are you sure? These two are real troublemakers, and you're quite busy at the moment. We can deal with them, no worries," the receptionist insisted.

"It's okay, I can take it from here. You must have more urgent tasks to do right now," DJ Grooves said as he slightly pushed down his sunglasses and discreetly winked at the children to reassure them. Arthur and Hat Kid noticed that and they formed a perplexed expression on their faces. Was he... trying to help them? But why? The receptionist sighed and nodded.

"Yeah... I have to close off the vent and order a new sunglasses dispenser, thanks to these two," the tall owl said, sending a glare at the duo. The two children glared back at him.

"You go take care of all that, and I'll deal with them," DJ Grooves said with a serious expression. The tall owl nodded.

"Alright, Mr. Grooves. Just be careful around them, they're a piece of work," the receptionist warned. The disco penguin simply nodded. "Come on, boys! Let's head back."

With that said, the two security owls who were restraining the children released them and followed the receptionist out of the room with the other guards. Arthur and Hat Kid were now alone with DJ Grooves, and the latter's expression softened.

"Don't worry, darlings. You two are safe with me," he said with a reassuring smile.

"Why did you help us?" Arthur asked surprised.

"I couldn't let them send you to jail. It's just not right! I'm certain you didn't mean to cause all of this mess," DJ Grooves explained.

Arthur sighed sadly and said, "Aside from sneaking inside and turning off the electricity? Yeah, the rest was accidental."

The disco penguin nodded, before asking, "So... you were the ones who shut down the power earlier?".

"Yeah, sorry about that... We were trying to get past some security cameras, and then... you know..." Arthur explained, sending an annoyed look to Hat Kid. The small girl smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head nervously. DJ Grooves nodded before smiling at the duo.

"Let's just put all of that trouble behind us, darlings. Here's the biz: I need your help. I'm on a terrible losing streak, and I just HAVE to win this next annual bird movie award. There's no doubt; I absolutely MUST have you both as the stars!" the disco penguins said enthusiastically. The two children were surprised to hear that.

"Us? Why us?" Arthur asked confused.

"I can just see it, darling! Those stylish sunglasses, the eyes behind them, and your amazing outfits tell a lot! You both have what it takes to be movie stars!" DJ Grooves said confidently. Arthur was dumbfounded. Him? A 'movie star'? He wasn't sure if the disco penguin truly believed it or if he was just making fun of him.

"Now, do you happen to have a fine on you? If you trespassed, the receptionist must have given you one," DJ Grooves asked the duo.

"Actually, yeah. He gave us one after we broke-" Arthur began to say, pulling out the fine from his pocket. However, a shocked expression formed on his face when he read the paper again. "_**What the hell?!**_" he shouted in total shock, startling both Hat Kid and DJ Grooves. The purple-hatted girl was confused until she read the fine too and her jaw dropped.

Somehow, the fine had literally _increased_ during their time in the studio. They were now billed _**17,500 pons**_ for trespassing, destruction of property, tampering with electronics, owl harassment, assault on cactus, and teepee T-KO. Impossible! How are they going to repay such a huge amount of cash? They were screwed...

"Here, let me take care of this," DJ Grooves said, taking the fine from Arthur's hands. To the children's surprise, the disco penguin tore the paper in half, cancelling their debt. The duo weren't sure if it was even legal, but they were relieved they didn't have to repay all the damages they had caused inside the studio.

DJ Grooves walked behind a toll booth cutout that had a camera on the side and said, "We need to give you a bird passport each, darlings! Step right over here." The two children walked in front of the cutout.

"So what's a bird passport exactly?" Arthur asked curiously.

"It will allow you to legally enter the studio at any time you want. Everyone working here has one, and you will also need one for recording sessions," DJ Grooves explained. "The most important part of a passport is the picture, darlings! You have to look flashy and stunning! You go first, uhm... Sorry, I didn't catch your name," he said, looking at Arthur.

"Arthur Jones," the twelve-year-old boy answered.

"Alright, Arthur darling! Step right over there. Let's take the pic," DJ Grooves said with a smile. Arthur did as he was told and walked in front of the camera. "OK, put on a smile, and stand still, please! Don't move!".

Smile? Arthur wasn't the smiling type. He pratically never smiles in real life, and when it comes to photography, he always has to force a smile and it looks terrible on the photos. He sighed sadly. He knew the picture won't look good, but he had no other choice.

Arthur removed his sunglasses, forced a smile, and made sure to stand still for the picture. DJ Grooves then took the photo, causing a flash to go off. The camera printed the photo out.

"Let's see how the picture turned out..." the disco penguin said, taking the picture and looking at it. However, he grimaced as he realized Arthur's smile looked unnatural and forced. "You're, uh, not really the smiling type, are you, darling?".

"Yeah, well, you ain't the first one to say that..." Arthur muttered sadly as he put his sunglasses back on. DJ Grooves's expression softened upon seeing the depressed look on the boy's face. Perhaps that was a bit too harsh of him to say...

"Oh, b-but it still looks good enough, darling! I'll slide it in your passport right away," the disco penguin said nervously. He slid Arthur's picture in a passport and wrote his name in.

"Here you go, darling," DJ Grooves said, handing out the passport to him. Arthur took it and read it.

_'So I'm legally a 'bird' now? Heh... A weird one if you ask me,'_ the young boy thought, putting the passport in his pocket.

DJ Grooves turned his attention to Hat Kid and said, "Now it's your turn, darling." The purple-hatted girl excitedly made her way to the front of the camera.

"You know the drill! Smile and stand still!" DJ Grooves said enthusiastically. Hat Kid removed her sunglasses and smiled at the camera. However, nothing happened for a few seconds.

"Uh... What's the hold up there, DJ Grooves?" Arthur asked puzzled.

"There seems to be some... technical difficulties with the camera. Don't worry, I'll fix it very quickly. Keep standing still, darling," the disco penguin said as he tried to figure out what was wrong with the camera.

A minute passed, and still nothing happened. DJ Grooves was starting to get frustrated as he tried to fix the camera in vain. Hat Kid stopped smiling at this point. Perhaps she could go over and try to help too? She stepped forward, but the camera suddenly started working again and took the picture, as the flash went off.

"Ah, there we go! Now let's see about that picture..." DJ Grooves said, taking the picture and looking at it. His smile turned into a look of horror.

"**WH-WHA?!** Darling, you moved! The picture is ruined! How could you?!" the disco penguin exclaimed in a frustrated tone. Hat Kid flinched, before putting her hands behind her back and shuffling her foot on the floor shamefully.

"Real smooth, buddy..." Arthur said to DJ Grooves angrily and sarcastically. The disco penguin's expression softened upon hearing this.

"Sorry, darling. I got a bit carried away here," DJ Grooves said, rubbing the back of his head guiltily. "Don't worry, there's a way to fix this with some old-fashioned photo doctoring." He pulled out a few markers, and handed them and the picture out to Hat Kid.

"Here, take these markers and turn yourself into the most stylish, fashionable young lady!" the disco penguin said enthusiastically.

Hat Kid smiled, and took the picture and the markers. She began to change a few details on the photo, such as adding a flashing smile and her sunglasses back. Once she was done, she gave the picture back to DJ Grooves, and the latter took it.

"Perfect! Let's slide this picture into your passport, and... there we go! Now I just need to know your name, darling," DJ Grooves said as he slid the picture in the passport and waited for Hat Kid to tell him her name.

"Hat Kid!" the small girl said happily. The disco penguin nodded and wrote her name on the passport.

"Here you go! One passport for you!" DJ Grooves said with a smile, handing out the passport to her. Hat Kid took it and slid it in her pocket. "Wonderful, darlings! Just wonderful! Meet me at the movie set tomorrow evening, and we'll make you two into stars!"

"Alright then... See you tomorrow, I guess..." Arthur said hesitantly. He was still unsure if he wanted to become a movie star. It looked like a lot of pressure with the audience and everything else. His anxiety wasn't going to like it.

DJ Grooves noticed his uneasiness and said, "Don't worry, darling. You'll learn the ropes very easily. And you'll see, the audience will love you! It's gonna be okay," in a reassuring tone. Arthur slowly nodded. He still wasn't convinced, but at least the disco penguin seemed to have faith in him. That was the first time someone actually believed in him...

"I must be leaving now. See you on the movie set, darlings!" DJ Grooves said joyfully. Arthur nodded at him, while Hat Kid smiled and waved him good bye.

The disco penguin walked away, leaving the two children alone in the room. Arthur was about to say something to Hat Kid when a familiar voice suddenly yelled out, "HEY! WATCHA THINK YER _**DOIN**_?!"

Arthur and Hat Kid flinched and quickly turned around. They grew nervous when they saw who it was. It was the Conductor, and he looked _**extremely furious**_. He stomped over to the children and glared angrily at them.

"Yer can't just jump in and fiddle with the annual bird movie awards! That's _fraud_! **FRAUD!** Hey everyone, we've got **FRAUDSTERS** OVER HERE!" the Conductor shouted angrily. However, nobody came to the strange owl's call. "WHERE MY OWL GUARDS AT?! Why are the owls so darn useless?!" he grumbled. He then put his hand on his chin in thought and smirked as he suddenly got an idea.

The Conductor took a step closer to the children and said, "Alright, listen here, you two! Yer in big trouble. If you're helping crooked DJ Grooves rig the awards, and I can't take yer to jail, then yer gotta help me even the score!". Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes widened. This guy wasn't serious, was he? Oh yes, he was...

"You mean..." Arthur began to say carefully.

"That's right, yer gotta be the stars of my movies, too!" the Conductor said with a smirk. The strange owl pulled a Time Piece out of his pocket. "Here, hold our newest prop, practice showing it off, and bring it to my movie set tomorrow morning! Yer got that? Don't be late!"

He tossed the Time Piece at Hat Kid and the small girl caught it. Though he had tossed it a little hard, and Hat Kid almost dropped it as a result. Thankfully, she managed to catch it before it happened and she held it tightly against her chest. No way she was going to repeat what happened in the Mafia's HQ with Mustache Girl.

"And yer better not fail me too! The owls do that enough already!" the Conductor said in a stern and angry tone, before walking away.

As he watched the strange owl leave, Arthur suddenly felt a knot in his stomach. It was the same uncomfortable feeling he had whenever his father was around. Indeed, the Conductor had a temper similar to his dad's. He was the kind of person who would get angry when things don't turn out the way they want and would lash out at anyone who were unfortunate enough to be around at this very moment. The young boy grew a fearful expression on his face and his anxiety rose up. He was on the verge of hyperventilating.

Hat Kid noticed the boy's panicked look and she grew worried for him. She first thought of giving him a hug to comfort him, but she had a feeling Arthur wouldn't be too fond of it. Instead, she put a comforting hand on his shoulder. The young boy jolted a little, but relaxed when he saw it was just Hat Kid. The girl's touch actually seemed to calm him down slightly. Though it was strange for him to receive comfort from someone, as no one ever did that for him before. Aside from his mom of course...

"I-I'm okay. Just... Did we just get hired by both directors to star in their movies?" Arthur asked dumbfounded. Hat Kid slowly nodded.

The twelve-year-old sighed and said, "Fantastic... Getting caught in the middle of a fuss between two birds obsessed with winning... Just _wonderful_..." sarcastically.

Once again, Arthur was dragged into a situation he never wanted to be involved in...

**A/N:** **Hey everyone! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter is about Murder on the Owl Express. Hope everyone is ready for some detective action and case solving being thrown at Arthur and Hat Kid!**

**Now, it's review time!**

_**To Mr (Sorry, I forgot you in the previous chapter... ^^;):**_** Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying my story! ^^**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Thank you! ^^ Yeah, I wonder what would be the interactions between my characters and the ones from Megacharge.**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Yeah, I figured more dialogues and actions from the receptionist would bring more life to his character and would work well in my story. Glad I did. And yeah, Arthur is definitely more level-headed and careful.**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** Thank you! There's a few chapters to wrap up before getting to Subcon, but we'll get to it soon. ^^**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** We'll soon discover through the chapters how Arthur and Hat Kid will work alongside both directors. I've got a few surprises up my sleeves for that. ;)**

**That's it for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Arthur slowly opened his eyes as he started waking up. He sat up and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He hadn't slept very well last night. Indeed, the events of the day before at Dead Bird Studio have been bothering him a lot.

He and Hat Kid were now a part of the Conductor's and DJ Grooves' movies at the same time. It was a lot of pressure for him since both movie directors will be relying on him to win, and also because of the audience. Arthur had never acted in a movie before, and the viewers will obviously expect something good. Will they even like him as one of the main characters of the movies? Will they hate his performance and make fun of him? Will the movie directors be mad at him if that happens?

Not only that, but he also had a nightmare. It was about him being in a recording session for a movie, but he kept messing up in every takes. The Conductor was here, yelling at him for messing up, then the strange owl's face had morphed into his dad's and the yelling and insults grew worse. Arthur woke up in the middle of the night and had trouble going back to sleep after that. At least, he had been able to keep some shut-eye.

It was very common for him to have nightmares, but... God, it wasn't fun when he had them... Sometimes, Arthur wished he was never born in the first place or that he could just put an end to his entire existence so he wouldn't have to suffer anymore. But of course, his survival instincts and cowardice just wouldn't let him do it.

Arthur sighed sadly, then he looked to the side. He gasped and jolted in surprise when he saw a statue made of ice just standing there.

"The hell?" Arthur asked in total confusion, as he got up to his feet. How did this statue get here in the first place? Did Hat Kid find it and bring it back here? And if she did, why?

Observing at the ice statue, he noticed that it was doing a little pose and a V-sign with its right hand. Its face looked... oddly familiar. The boy looked a little closer, then his eyes widened as he recognized the face.

"Hat Kid?" Arthur said with a shocked expression.

Suddenly, without a warning, the ice statue broke itself and a small figure emerged from it, screaming, "_**BOO!**_", loudly.

"AHH!" Arthur jumped in surprise and fell back on the floor. He quickly crawled away from the figure in total panic.

The person who jumpscared him started laughing after seeing the boy's reaction. Arthur was confused by this, then as he calmed down and stared at the figure, he frowned in annoyance. It was Hat Kid wearing a new hat she made. A blue beanie with bear ears and snowflakes on it. She had called it the Ice Hat, since it allowed her to turn into an ice statue temporarily.

"Ugh, you damn fool! You trying to give me a heart attack or what?!" Arthur hissed angrily.

"Sorry, couldn't resist!" Hat Kid apologized as she slowly stopped laughing.

However, the twelve-year-old boy didn't appreciate the prank. He got up to his feet and approached the small girl. He stopped inches away from her face and looked at her dead serious, causing her to grow a fearful expression.

"Don't do that again," Arthur said in a serious and threatening tone, pointing his finger at her. Hat Kid gulped and nervously nodded her head. "Good," he said, turning away from her.

Hat Kid sighed in relief. For a moment there, she thought that he was going to punch her on the face. Thankfully, he didn't. But her prank didn't turn out the way she wanted it to. She expected Arthur to just merely feel annoyed and roll his eyes, but the reaction he had... It was _scary_... Now she felt bad for pranking him.

"Sorry..." Hat Kid apologized as she rubbed her arm in shame.

Arthur sighed and said, "Like I said... Just don't do it again," still keeping his back on her. Hat Kid noticed that he seemed troubled. Though something told her it wasn't about her prank anymore. She walked around him so she could look at his face and she gave him a concerned look. Arthur sighed sadly.

"I just... Look, we shouldn't be a part of those birds' movies. Their competition and their award... it's none of our business. I've never acted in a movie before, and I'm pretty sure you haven't either. We've been dragged into something we shouldn't be involved in. That's why I think we should just ask them to give us back the Time Pieces so we can move on," Arthur explained.

Hat Kid understood where he was getting at. Indeed, the priority remained the Time Pieces and maybe they shouldn't have gotten involved into the two movie directors's situation. However, DJ Grooves was so nice to them and he even helped them when the receptionist wanted to send them to jail. She didn't want to let him down after he went through all of that trouble for them.

Plus, she had to admit that she was excited to star in those movies. It's like everyone's dream to appear on the screen and play a role for everyone to watch and enjoy. But then again, Arthur wasn't really a people person, so perhaps being confronted to a movie audience wasn't his cup of tea.

But it is worth a try! The Conductor had given them one of her Time Pieces after hiring them as actors. So if they kept playing along and acting in their movies, maybe the two directors will reward them with more Time Pieces. For now, it seemed like the only thing to do.

"You still wanna play the movie star, do you?" Arthur deadpanned, as if he was reading the girl's mind. Hat Kid firmly nodded. The young boy sighed in annoyance, seeing that he wouldn't be able to change her mind no matter what he says. He had learned that she could be quite stubborn when she wanted to.

"That's a recipe for disaster, you know? But whatever, we do the birds' bidding and then we ask for the Time Pieces. Sounds good?" Arthur asked. Hat Kid nodded with a smile.

"Alright. So the first recording session is this morning with... the Conductor..." Arthur said with a sigh. He really didn't want to see the Conductor right now, but he knew he had to do it for the Time Pieces. "So when does it start?"

Hat Kid's smile dropped, and she suddenly put her hands on her mouth and gasped. They were supposed to be already at the Conductor's movie set about five minutes ago! Arthur's eyes narrowed, figuring out why the girl reacted that way.

"Oh, don't tell me we're late already!" the young boy said in an irritated tone. Hat Kid slowly nodded with a panicked expression on her face. Arthur groaned and placed his hand on his face in annoyance.

"You goddamn idiot! You should've woke me up earlier instead of pulling that prank on me!" he scolded. Hat Kid smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head nervously in response. "Well, let's go already! Hopefully, the Conductor won't make a meal outta us just yet."

Not wasting any more time, Arthur and Hat Kid ran towards the hatch and jumped off, aiming for Dead Bird Studio.

* * *

"Finally... The train is moving. Now I can get to work..."

In a dark room inside the Conductor's train, a shadowed figure picked up a knife that they had secretely hidden under a mattress. They had been planning this for a while... and now, they were finally ready to act.

"I've heard the two kids with the hats will be on this train too. I've got a little _something_ in store for them. Ohohoho, this is going to be _fun_..." the figure said darkly to themselves, feeling the blade in between their fingers.

* * *

The two children were nearing Dead Bird Studio at a fast speed. Hat Kid then spotted a train moving on some rails. She remembered the Conductor telling them that they were going to record on it, so she aimed for it. She and Arthur landed at the caboose of the train.

"Welcome back, ye two!" a familiar voice in a Scottish accent greeted them. Arthur and Hat Kid spotted the Conductor leaning against the barrier of the caboose, a walkie-talkie in his hand.

"Hey, uh, Conductor. Sorry for being late... Our alarm clock malfunctioned," Arthur lied, hoping that the strange owl would buy it. He and Hat Kid expected him to get angry and rebuke them for being late, but to their surprise, the Conductor merely shrugged.

"Eh, it's fine. I haven't written the script for me next movie yet, so we're not recording!" the strange owl answered calmly. "In the meantime, you can go in me train and get familiar with the place. I'll call for yer when the script is ready."

Arthur and Hat Kid looked at him skeptically. That's weird... The day before, he was getting all angry at them and was dead serious about not being late. But right now, he was... oddly calm, like he had a switch in his back that allowed him to become calm or angry when flipping it. It was strange... but at least they weren't being yelled at.

"Uhh... Alright then. See you later... I guess," Arthur said with a shrug.

With that said, the two children went inside the train to explore while waiting for the movie script to be ready. Suddenly, they were stopped by a sketchy tall black crow wearing a brown coat and fedora.

"Why, hello there, fellow owls. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting?" the crow greeted them.

"And you are?" Arthur asked as he raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious of the crow.

"As you can tell, I am also an Express Owl. I do much hooting," the crow answered. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other in confusion. This guy? An Express Owl? No, he wasn't. He was a _crow_. And the duo were not owls either. Before Arthur could point that out, the suspicious crow continued speaking.

"Between one owl to another, we can share details, yes? What is your uncle's sister's maiden name?" he asked. Arthur and Hat Kid both had puzzled expressions on their faces. Why did this crow wanted to know that? This was all very sketchy...

Arthur didn't feel comfortable with the crow's presence. Something about him felt off... Though the young boy had a feeling the crow wouldn't leave them alone until they answered his question. So he decided to just give a random name, especially since he never had an uncle in the first place.

"Samantha," Arthur said, hoping the crow would buy it and leave them alone. The suspicious crow nodded.

"Oh, it is Samantha? I see, I see. This is the kind of uncle's sister's maiden name I would expect I would expect from a fellow Express Owl. Thank you. Have a good day, fellow owls," the crow said. And with that, he walked away from the duo.

_'Wow, can't believe that worked... What an idiot,'_ Arthur thought, relieved to have been able to get the suspicous crow off their back. He glanced at Hat Kid and noticed that she was giving him a confused look.

"I gave him a fake name. Never had an uncle to begin with. I just wanted him to go away," Arthur said with a smirk.

"Oh," Hat Kid said before giggling. She had to admit, that was pretty smart of him.

"Still, I wonder what this was all about," Arthur said, still confused about why the crow wanted to know this kind of information. He shrugged and said, "Come on, let's move."

The duo walked a bit further, until they were stopped by someone else. It was yet another suspicious crow, but not the one from before.

"Hello, fellow Express Owls. Do you care about security? I care about security a whole lot. You should not be going around telling informations to strangers. It could be a security risk!" the crow said.

"No, I would _totally_ run around and scream my phone number at the top of my lungs for everyone to hear," Arthur said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, well, you shouldn't be doing that, fellow Express Owl. It is very risky," the crow answered, failing to understand the boy's sarcasm. Arthur raised an eyebrow at him, while Hat Kid put her hand on her face at the crow's stupidity.

"I think you need a serious lecture on how to detect sarcasm, pal," Arthur said with an unamused look. The crow ignored the boy's remark and continued speaking.

"Just know, I can help your daily life become more secure. What is your favorite combination of numbers?" the crow asked. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other annoyed. Another one of those sketchy questions? It looks like they were going to have to say something random again.

Arthur smirked as he had an idea and said, "1234." One of the least secured combination of numbers. Hat Kid had to cover her mouth to suppress a laugh from coming out.

"I see, I see. 1234 is also my favorite combination of numbers," the crow said, before walking away. As he did so, they duo could hear him say to himself, "I will definitely use this combination for my safe."

As soon as he was out of sight, Arthur snorted and said, "Dumbbell." Hat Kid couldn't hold it anymore and laughed after hearing him say that. Those weird crows were so gullible. You can say anything to them, and they'll believe it.

The duo continued walking and came across an Express Owl. An actual one. Like the two children, the owl seemed confused by the suspicious crows's presence here.

"Did you notice there's suddenly a lot of crows on this train?" the Express Owl asked the duo.

"Considering two of them came to bother us before... hard to not notice. They asked us about personal details. Weird..." Arthur answered.

"I know, right? They all got on at the last stop," the owl stated.

"Wait, there's more of them?" Arthur asked with widened eyes. The Express Owl nodded. "Great. More questions to add to the pile of weirdness..." he muttered in annoyance.

"Say, at which stop did you two get on the train?" the Express Owl asked, recalling that he didn't see the two children get on the train before. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other awkwardly. The way they got on the train will definitely sound a bit strange to hear.

"Actually... we, uh, fell from the sky..." Arthur stated awkwardly. The Express Owl stared at him blankly for a few seconds.

"...what do you mean you fell from the sky?" the owl asked in total confusion.

"It's... complicated. Don't ask us how and why," the young boy simply answered. The Express Owl was confused by this, but he decided to shrug it off. "Anyway, we won't disturb you any longer."

"Okay, well, have a good day! Just be careful around those crows. They look very sketchy," the owl said nervously. Arthur and Hat Kid nodded, then they continued walking.

The duo were about to go through the door that led to the next train car, but they were once again stopped by another crow.

"Did you know that having a pet helps improve self-confidence and relieves stress?" the crow asked the two children.

"Does it now?" Arthur asked curiously. He wanted a dog when he was younger, but of course his damn father just wouldn't allow it. He said dogs were dirty, annoying, and wasted a lot of your time. Well, that is quite hypocrital, since that's what alcohol turned him into. You just have to add 'violent' and 'abusive' to the list...

"It does! Did you also know that pets can have pets?" the crow asked. Arthur and Hat Kid both raised an eyebrow at him. What kind of nonsense was he babbling now?

"It is true! Unfortunately, us Express Owls are not allowed to have pets. It is a sacrifice we must make in the name of hooting," the crow said. The two children gave him an annoyed look. Seriously? Those weird crows still keep pretending they are owls? Was it some kind of game for them or what? "But, if you had a pet, what do you think the name of your pet's childhood pet would be?" he asked.

Hat Kid thought for a moment. A name for pet's pet? Well, she didn't really have a pet, but she still had her cleaner robot, Rumbi. If it had a pet, it would probably be a smaller version of it. She would probably name it Rumbo.

"Rumbo," Hat Kid answered. The crow nodded.

"Rumbo is certainly an interesting name for a pet. Even for a pet's pet," he said.

"Whatever you say, buddy. Let's go, Hat Kid," Arthur said as he waved his hand in a dismissive manner, getting impatient.

The two children walked past the crow and went through the door. The next train car appeared to be some sort of library. There were a few Express Owls in there, and of course, a crow standing in front of a blackboard... A nervous Express Owl noticed the duo's presence and decided to start a conversation with them.

"Have you noticed all these crows around the place? They keep asking for personal details, and I never know what to answer!" the owl said nervously.

"Just tell them random stuff, they'll buy it. They ain't so bright," Arthur said.

"Okay then. Anything that gets them off my back," the Express Owl answered with a nod. The duo nodded and walked away.

The two children tried to walk past the crow near the blackboard unnoticed. Unfortunately, the latter spotted them and turned his attention to them, much to the duo's exasperation.

"Hello, fellow Express Owls. I am stuck on an advanced mathematical and scientific issue. Do you see this advanced formula on the blackboard? I cannot decipher it," the crow explained. Well, at least he wasn't asking for personal informations. Not yet at least... "Can you decipher the scientific formula for me? What does it say?" he asked.

Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other and shrugged. They could probably give it a try, since it wasn't about giving out any kind of personal information. Neither of them were good at math, but they will do their best.

The duo took a look at the blackboard, but they immediately formed unamused expressions on their faces. It wasn't even a scientific formula, it was just some scrambled letters and numbers, like the ones you see in an online form.

"I don't see how it's a scientific formula. All it says is DCB 4IL OSE," Arthur stated. Hang on a second... The last five letters sounded like they said 'I lose'. Is there some kind of hidden joke behind it?

"I see! The solution is DCB 4IL OSE! It was obvious! Thank you, fellow Express Owls," the crow said. Then he smirked and added, "And thank you for agreeing to the terms and conditions on the back side of the blackboard." The two children gave him confused looks.

"Wait what?" Arthur asked puzzled.

The duo walked around the blackboard and they frowned at what they saw on the back side of it. 'Terms and Conditions' was written as a title, followed by several lines on different rules and conditions. The worst part is they couldn't even read them, because the lettering was so tiny! They wanted to scold the crow for tricking them, but he was no where to be seen. He must have run off when they weren't paying attention.

"Oh, that sneaky _peck neck_!" Arthur hissed angrily, not immediately noticing he used one of the Conductor's insults. Hat Kid gave him a surprised look upon hearing this. The young boy then realized what he just said.

"Great, now I'm starting to speak like the Conductor. Won't be long before I start barking orders at people and talking in a Scottish accent," the twelve-year-old boy said jokingly. Hat Kid couldn't help but giggle as she imagined Arthur in a train conductor uniform, giving orders and yelling at actors for messing up during the recording.

"Anyway, we should probably keep moving. I hope those terms and conditions won't force us to do anything against our will," Arthur remarked, earning a nod from Hat Kid.

The two children continued to make their way across the train car. On the way, they were stopped by another crow who asked them about what it would feel like to be a superhero and what name they would use if they were one. Arthur remained quiet, because he didn't know what to answer and he was also tired of answering all of these questions. Hat Kid chose to answer instead and decided to say 'Super Hat Kid', considering most superheroes use 'super' as a prefix for their name.

After a strange answer from the crow saying he would write Hat Kid's answer down real quick, the two children hurried themselves through the door leading to the cafeteria. Their eyes widened and their jaws dropped when they entered the room. On the right side were multiple crows sitting at some tables, eating dinner. Thankfully, they didn't notice the children's presence here as they were too busy telling 'jokes' and laughing. Honestly, neither Arthur or Hat Kid found their 'jokes' funny, but they didn't want to dwell on it.

The duo spotted a door at the end of the room, but it was locked. Deciding to search around for a key, they walked up the stairs leading to more tables. They gasped when they saw a crow standing there, apart from the others. They tried to avoid him, but he spotted them and walked up to them.

"Us Express Owls all have a part of our body we're ashamed of. This is why some owls choose to pluck their feathers. Which body part of yours are you the most ashamed of, fellow Express Owls?" the crow asked the duo.

Arthur immediately grew uncomfortable with the question. It was definitely a topic more sensitive for him than all the other questions from before. Honestly, he was ashamed of everything about himself. His pathetic existence itself was like a curse for him. His life was hell, people made fun of him, and he got hurt in more ways than one. As a consequence, he now struggles with depression and anxiety.

Something in his guts told him that he shouldn't be honest with the crow, so he decided to simply give a single part of his body that is less likely to be made fun of as an answer.

"Uh... My eyes?" Arthur said nervously. The crow gave him a look of sympathy.

"Oh, poor Express Owl, you shouldn't be ashamed of your eyes. But you'd better get your eyes checked out by a doctor. I read online it could be a sign of bird flu," the crow said.

"If you say so... Anyway, we should get going," Arthur said, visibly troubled by the personal question. He quickly walked away to get away from the crow. Surprised by his reaction, Hat Kid went after him.

The young boy walked over a passage leading next to an overhanging blue trapdoor. He stopped at the corner and let out a sigh. Hat Kid put her hand on the boy's shoulder and gave him a concerned look.

"I'm fine, I just... I'm not very comfortable when it comes to talking about myself, you know?" Arthur said sadly. He wasn't being entirely truthful with the small girl. It is true that he wasn't comfortable with the crow's question, but the _entire_ reason was much harder to talk about. "Anyway, we should probably focus on finding that key," he said to change the topic. Hat Kid slowly nodded, understanding that the boy didn't feel like talking at the moment.

The purple-hatted girl looked at the blue trapdoor and noticed it had a white snowflake symbol drawn on it. By the looks of it, she probably needed to use her Ice Hat on it. She switched her regular top hat with her Ice hat, and she stepped on the trapdoor. She focused herself and turned herself into an ice statue, like she did when she pulled the prank on Arthur earlier. The weight of the statue caused her to do a ground pound on the blue trapdoor, and it launched her to another trapdoor on the other side of the cafeteria. She used her ability again to be launched back at the starting point, near a visibly impressed Arthur.

"Ta daaa!" Hat Kid beamed, doing a little pose proudly.

"Gotta admit, this new ability of yours is pretty awesome. If I need to freshen my soda someday, I'll make sure to call for you," Arthur joked with a wink, causing Hat Kid to giggle in amusement.

Hat Kid switched back to her top hat, then she and Arthur climbed up a ladder that led up to an upper platform. There was a door leading to the VIP room. Before heading in there, Hat Kid grabbed a yarn that was on a small platform on the right.

Inside the VIP room, the two children could see two tables with chairs gathered all around them. There was also an Express Owl blocking the entrance leading to the second part of the room. The duo were about to ask him if they could get through, but the owl stopped them before they could.

"Wait, don't come in here. I lost my contact lens somewhere... please don't step on it! I can't move out of the way, I might step on it myself!" the Express Owl said in a panicked tone.

"Okay, okay. We'll be on our way then," Arthur said as he raised his hands up in defence. The Express Owl sighed in relief and nodded in appreciation.

Well, that was a bummer... They couldn't check the rest of the VIP room for the key as long as the Express Owl was here. And they didn't want to risk stepping on his contact lens, as the owl needed them for his vision.

However, when they turned around, the duo spotted something on one of the tables. It was a key! Probably the one that unlocks the door they saw back in the cafeteria. Hat Kid picked it up and put it in her pocket.

The two children returned in the cafeteria and quietly walked past the crows at the tables who were still telling 'jokes' to each others. Standing in front of the locked door, Hat Kid pulled out the key and used it on the lock. A small 'click!' confirmed that the door was unlocked.

They headed inside and found themselves at the front of the train, or the locomotive to be more accurate. However, there was no one inside, except for a mysterious present sitting in the middle of the room.

"A gift box? Is it the Conductor's birthday today?" Arthur asked confused. Hat Kid only shrugged.

Curious, the two children walked up to the present and read the name tag. However, to their surprise, it said _'To the two kids with the hats.'_ Wait a second... The gift box wasn't for the Conductor. It was for _them_!

"For us? Is it your birthday today, kid?" Arthur asked, looking at Hat Kid curiously. The small girl shook her head in response. "Weird... Well, let's open it up and see what's inside," the young boy suggested.

Hat Kid knelt down in front of the package and proceeded to unwrap it. Her eyes widened when she saw what was inside.

"So... what is it?" Arthur asked curiously. The small girl pulled out the content, which made the twelve-year-old boy very confused upon seeing it.

It was two crime-solving outfits. The first one was a brown detective coat with a black bow tie and black belt, a brown flat cap, beige pants, and dark brown boots. The second one looked the same, except the entire outfit was black and there was a black bowler hat instead of a cap.

"Detective clothes? What for?" Arthur asked in total confusion. He looked at Hat Kid and found her already changing her clothes for the brown detective outfit excitedly. He sighed and said, "Well, might as well put mine on too."

Arthur changed his regular clothes for the black detective outfit and replaced his cowboy hat with the bowler hat.

"So... how do I look?" the young boy asked. Hat Kid clapped her hands excitedly and gave him a thumbs up to tell him he looked awesome. "Thanks. Now we just need a monocle, a pipe, a magnifying glass, and we'll look the part," Arthur stated jokingly, making Hat Kid giggle.

Suddenly, a ringtone was heard inside the locomotive. It sounded mysterious and suspenseful. The two children turned their heads towards the source of the ringtone and spotted a phone on the wall. They looked at each other curiously, before shrugging. Since no one else besides them were here to answer, they should probably pick up the phone and see who it was. Arthur took the initiative and answered the phone.

"Hello?" he asked. However, the answer he received was not something he expected.

_"Is this one of the kids with the hats? I hope you two like my present... he he he,"_ a scratchy and distorted voice answered.

"Uhh... who is this?" Arthur asked in a nervous tone.

_"It doesn't matter who I am. Go to the back of the train. Your uncle's sister Samantha has come to visit you,"_ the mysterious voice said. Arthur formed a confused expression on his face. His 'uncle's sister'? Was it one of the crows pulling a joke on him? Before he could ask about it, the voice spoke again.

_"You better show your fam' some love, or I'll be talking to a **corpse** next time,"_ they said in a threatening manner. A chill ran down Arthur's spine upon hearing this. If this was a joke, it wasn't funny at all!

"W-What? Just who are you-"

_***CLICK***_

Arthur's question was cut off as the mysterious person hung up on him. Visibly confused and troubled by the phone call, the boy slowly placed the phone back on the wall while keeping a blank expression the whole time. Just who was this person? What the hell was going on here?

"Arthur?" Hat Kid asked in a worried tone. Arthur slowly turned around to face her.

"I... I don't... they..." he stuttered, unable to find the right words for it. He took a deep breathe before speaking again. "I don't know who it was, but they said we have to go to the back of the train to see my uncle's sister. And if we don't... they said they'll kill us," Hat Kid gasped upon hearing this.

"First the crows, and now this? Something strange is going on here..." Arthur said nervously. He sighed and said, "We should probably check the caboose first; like the person on the phone said we should." Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

The two children exited the locomotive, and returned to the library. Arthur opened the door leading to the caboose of the train.

"I swear if this is a prank those damn crows have set up, I will-" the young boy began to say angrily, before forming a look of horror as he was met with a horrifying sight. "_**WHAT THE HELL?!**_" Upon hearing him yell, Hat kid quickly headed inside the room. She suddenly gasped and covered her mouth with her hands in horror.

In the middle of the room was a cutout of an old lady, and at its feet... was a dead Express Owl with a knife stuck in his back. Blood escaped from the corpse and was spilling everywhere on the ground. Someone had just murdered that poor owl! Who could have done this? And why?

The two children couldn't believe it. What was supposed to be their first session of recording turned into a _**murder case**_... And unknown to them yet, they will soon be the ones who will have to uncover it.

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! So here it is: Murder on the Owl Express! I admit, I had a bit of a loss of motivation for this one, but that's mainly because I'm usually tired from work at the end of the day and therefore it crushes my motivation to write a little. Don't worry though, I still make sure to update this story from time to time. ^^**

**Anyway, this chapter was more of an introduction to the act. The next one will be the one where Arthur and Hat Kid will be on the case to find out who murdered that poor Express Owl.**

**And now, it's time to answer some reviews!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Yeah, he probably will. XD**

_**To Mad King C:**_** The antagonist of the Battle of the Birds chapter in this story will be revealed soon. And yeah, a few things about Arthur were revealed in this chapter. More will come in the future, but you will have to be patient. ;)**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** Thanks! It means a lot to me! ^^**

**Anyway, that's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

A few seconds following the discovery of the owl's dead body on the floor by Arthur and Hat Kid, several Express Owls gathered inside the room after being alerted by the boy's scream. All of them were shocked and frightened at the sight.

"Oh my God!"

"He's dead! Somebody just killed him!"

"How did that happen?!"

Many questions were being thrown around the room by the panicked Express Owls. And they were not the only ones... Arthur and Hat Kid were also in total shock. Of all the things that could happen on this train today, discovering a dead owl was certainly not something they expected.

The back door of the caboose opened, revealing the Conductor entering the room, confused by all the commotion.

"What's going on h-" the strange owl's question was suddenly cut off when he saw the dead Express Owl on the ground. A shocked and horrified expression formed on his face.

"A-a **MURDER**? On _**MY**_ Owl Express?!" he yelled out in shock. "I can't believe someone would murder one of the Express Owls!" The Conductor then looked at the old lady cutout, before he frowned and looked at Arthur angrily.

"And I can't believe even more that it's yer uncle's sister Samantha!" he said in an angry tone, earning a confused look from the two children. Wait, this cardboard cutout was supposed to be Arthur's uncle's sister?

"What do yer have to say for yerself, Samantha?!" the Conductor asked 'Samantha' accusingly. ...No answer. Well, of course, it was just a cutout after all. "Yer givin' me the quiet treatment, eh?! That's what a murderer would do!" the strange owl said angrily, rolling his r's.

"Uhh, not to break your circuits there, but... it's just a cutout. So unless this one has a speaker or is possessed by a ghost, you won't be hearing much from it," Arthur pointed out.

"This is not the time for jokes, laddy!" the Conductor shouted angrily as he stomped his foot on the floor repeatedly. Arthur flinched at his tone and frowned. It wasn't supposed to be a joke... but whatever. It seemed like the Conductor was too angry and stubborn to listen to reason at the moment.

"Leave this case to us," a voice said from behind. Everyone turned around and saw it was the group of suspicious crows who kept asking for personal details. "We're CAW, the Crow Agent Watch. We've been monitoring everyone on this train since the last station," one of them explained as he held out some sort of badge in his wing.

Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other with a raised eyebrow. These crows were agents all along? Maybe that explained why they kept asking for personal informations.

The C.A.W. agent who spoke up put his badge away and said, "We'll be searching the entire train for evidence. No one is allowed to go outside of this wagon." Everyone was dumbfounded to hear they were forced to stay here, especially the Conductor who glared at them.

"**WHAT!?** I can't even walk around in me own train!? How _**dare**_ yer!" the strange owl protested, jumping up and down furiously. Arthur and Hat Kid grimaced at his outburst. They made themselves a mental note to never make him mad in the future.

The C.A.W. agent remained unfazed by the Conductor's anger and continued, "Once the clock hits midnight, we'll get off at the station with the murderer in cuffs."

The two children were confused as they looked outside of the window. Midnight they said? Impossible, it was morning when the duo got on the train, and judging by the position of the sun right now it must be near noon. However, they had a feeling they would get rebuked if they stated it openly, so they simply shrugged and decided to stay quiet.

"Stay here while we investigate further," the crow ordered. And with that, the group of C.A.W. agents exited the wagon to begin their investigation around the train. The Conductor growled and tapped his foot in frustration.

"Those C.A.W. peck necks can't tell me what to do! I bet they committed the murder, and are destroying all the evidence!" he muttered angrily. He then looked at Arthur and Hat Kid and approached them. "You two, how about yer go in there and investigate the case for me."

"Us? Why us?" Arthur asked, confused about why he would want two kids to investigate the murder case.

"Yer the ones with the detective clothes, aren't yer? And I trust you more than those crow peck necks to solve the case," the Conductor said. Both children were surprised by this. He _trusted_ them? That's something they didn't expect to hear from the strange owl.

Well, it's true that something felt off about those 'agents' from C.A.W. For example, the old lady cutout was named 'Samantha', and only the crows knew that information since Arthur was the one who told them. The person on the phone also knew about this kind of information. Judging by what they said, they sounded like they were the murderer in question. But then why would this person give them detective outfits? Something in this story didn't add up...

As much as Arthur didn't want to risk getting caught sneaking around the train by the C.A.W. agents, he didn't want to say no to the Conductor, especially with a temper like his. Besides the murderer had already rigged the crime scene by pinning the murder on... well... 'Samantha'... And if they wanted to make it look like it had more sense, they would try to pin it on him or Hat Kid or the both of them. He had no choice but to accept.

"We'll... see what we can find," Arthur said with a sigh. The Conductor was pleased to hear this.

"Thank you, lad!" the strange owl said with a smile, before pulling out two watches from his pocket. "Here, take these. You'll need them to keep an eye on time. Yer have to be back here before midnight so these peck necks don't see you two snuck out, y'hear?"

The two children nodded and took a watch each, putting them around their wrists. They checked the time. 11:00 PM. They had one hour to find enough evidence to point their fingers at the real murderer.

"Now get to it! Whoever did this... they will be brought to the dog house at once!" the Conductor said with venom in his voice, while looking at the victim's dead body.

Arthur and Hat Kid nodded and made their way to the door leading to the library, determined on finding out who committed the murder.

_**1 OWL HOUR LEFT**_

Hat Kid slightly opened the door to take a peek inside the library. She spotted three CAW agents looking around the room for clues. The small girl held her hand in front of Arthur to tell him to wait. With these three crows roaming around, there was no way they could get through without getting spotted. Examining the room, she figured that they could use the top of the bookshelves to get past them undetected.

When the agents weren't looking in their direction anymore, she made a gesture with her hand to tell Arthur to follow her. The duo used two crates to get on top of the bookshelves and quietly crawled on them, staying low to avoid being seen by the crows. After that, they quietly got down from the shelves and entered the rec room on the right.

Inside the room were a few billiard tables, and on the floor was some sort of folder. Strange... Hat Kid was about to move forward to take it, however Arthur stopped her by placing his arm in front of her.

"Wait," the young boy whispered as he pointed up at something. Hat Kid looked up and saw what Arthur was trying to show her. A crow was standing on top of a pillar, watching over the upper area. Thankfully, he hadn't heard or seen the two children enter the room.

While keeping an eye on the crow, Hat Kid quietly moved towards the folder and picked it up before stepping back out of sight. The two children read the title and it said 'Confidential: Suspect File'. Oh neat! One of the C.A.W. agents must have accidentally dropped it here. Hat Kid opened the file, and her eyes widened. The file was about the Conductor, with a picture of him inside of it. According to the file, the strange owl is known to have anger issues and prone to violent outbursts. Therefore, he could have attacked the victim out of anger if he did or said something he didn't like. No wonder he was considered a suspect in this case.

"So these files seem to tell a lot about the possible suspects on this train. Let's try to find more, and hopefully they'll have enough informations in them to lead us to the real murderer," Arthur whispered. Hat Kid nodded and put the file away.

The duo made their way across the rec room, while making sure to not get spotted by the C.A.W. agent on the pillar. They climbed up the wall to get to the upper area, and they decided to enter the night cabin on the left.

When they entered the room, they found two crows patrolling the area. Not wanting to be caught out in the open, they quickly hid in one of the dark corners of the room. From afar, Arthur spotted a key resting on one of the bed mattresses through a window on the wall.

He lightly nudged Hat Kid to get her attention and whispered, "I see a key on this bed over there. Must open one of the doors. I say we grab it and get out as quickly as we can." The small girl nodded in agreement.

They waited for one of the crows to walk past them, before making their move. Keeping their distances with the agent, the two children snuck around the wall and grabbed the key on their way. After that, they returned to the rec room through the same door.

The duo spotted a door on a platform that was on the other side of the room. Only problem is they had to get past the crow on the pillar, and for that, they needed a distraction. Hat Kid picked a billiard ball and threw it at the corner of the room, creating a noise. Alerted, the crow looked in the direction where the ball was thrown at, allowing the children to have enough time to sneak through by jumping on the platform on the left. They went through the door after that.

_**50 OWL MINUTES LEFT**_

They were now on platforms above the library. Avoiding a C.A.W. agent who was keeping an eye on the double doors on the right, they unlocked the door to the luggage room with the key and entered it. When they did, a familiar ringtone could be heard. It came from the phone on the wall facing them. Arthur walked up to it and picked it up.

_"So you think you two can just sneak around the train like this? Just drop the detective act. You'll never catch the real murderer... he he he,"_ the mysterious person from earlier taunted evilly.

"We'll see about that, you bastard," Arthur answered with venom in his voice.

_"You can't point your finger at someone without clues. The clock is ticking. Will you be able to find enough clues to point your finger at the murderer?"_ the person said defiantly.

_***CLICK***_

The mysterious person hung up before Arthur could reply. The young boy placed the phone back on the wall and turned to look at Hat Kid.

"This guy is toying with us. Let's make sure to collect enough files and evidences so we can put an end to their little game," Arthur said bitterly. Hat Kid nodded firmly. She also wanted nothing more than to catch this jerk and have them sent to jail.

Arthur checked his watch and said, "We have 50 minutes left, kid. Let's hurry it up."

The two children got back on track immediately. Sneaking past two C.A.W. agents who were patrolling the area, they found another suspect file in the corner of the room.

When they opened it, they saw that it was about the C.A.W. agents. According to the file, they were considered as suspects because of all the personal questions and the fact that they insisted on investigating the murder case. Strange... Why would the crows even put themselves as suspects here if the files were theirs? ...unless they weren't the ones who made the files? In that case, that could explain why they insisted on investigating. If they were the ones who murdered the Express Owl, they could be searching around for evidences to destroy them. Even more reasons to find all of the suspect files as quickly as possible.

The duo retraced their steps and climbed on the pile of luggages. Hat Kid found two yarns on the way and took them. They reached a door at the top, but it was locked. They needed a key to open it. Before leaving, Hat Kid stepped on a button on the floor, which activated a blue trapdoor below. Convenient! With it, they won't need to climb the pile of luggages up again, which will allow them to save time.

The duo returned to the library and entered the cafeteria. They snuck past the C.A.W. agents at the tables who were still telling 'jokes' to each others, and went up to the VIP room.

_**40 OWL MINUTES LEFT**_

Without the Express Owl from earlier blocking the way, the two children were able to go to second part of the room. However, they had to be careful as crows were patrolling the area. The duo were able to find a third suspect file on one of the tables.

Going to a quiet place to read it, they formed unamused looks. The file was about 'Samantha', a.k.a. 'Arthur's uncle's sister'. 'She' was a suspect because she was the first one to be seen with the victim's dead body when it was discovered. However, the duo knew it was impossible she committed the murder since 'she' was just a cardboard cutout. Therefore, this file was useless.

As they decided to search around the room for the key, they found a relic in the raven suite. A small toy train. They figured they could put it with the mountain set they found back in Dead Bird Studio. But first, they had to solve the case and get back on the spaceship... if they don't get caught here that is. Next, they climbed on top of a large TV, jumped on some platforms, and found the key on the last one. Before leaving, Hat Kid found another yarn on a balcony above the raven suite.

They returned to the luggage room and used the blue trapdoor to get back to the top faster. Since Arthur didn't have the ice hat, Hat Kid had to grab his hand so he could also be turned into ice and the both of them were able to be launched upward at the same time. It was a weird and _cold_ sensation for Arthur to be turned into ice, but it wasn't as bad as he imagined it, especially since it was only temporary. After that, the duo unlocked the door and went through it.

They were on a platform above the library with a glass wall on their left. A platform with a button on it was in front of them. Arthur stepped on it, opening the glass wall. Then, they saw the platform where the C.A.W. agent was standing on – the one who was keeping an eye on the double doors – move down to the ground.

The crow seemed very confused that the platform he was on suddenly lowered down without a warning. He looked up curiously but saw no one up there, since the two children crouched down on the platform to stay out of sight. The crow figured that the platform simply malfunctioned and shrugged, before hopping down and heading inside the rec room to return to his position. The duo sighed in relief and quickly headed through the double doors before the crow returned.

_**30 OWL MINUTES LEFT**_

The duo found themselves in a large room with a big group of C.A.W. agents watching the monitors and talking among themselves. The two children quickly hid behind a machine to avoid being seen. Arthur checked his watch quickly and his eyes widened.

"30 minutes left. We don't have much time left, Hat Kid. Let's pick up the pace," the twelve-year-old boy whispered. Hat Kid nodded.

They took a good look around the room from their position. They spotted a lift leading up to two double doors: the boiler room and the engine room. On the right was the lounge, but the doors were locked. And on a surface above the monitors were double doors with the words 'KEEP OUT,' written in red on them. These doors were also locked. So they needed to find two keys to proceed in both rooms.

Being more careful and sneaking past a few wandering crows, the duo got on the lift and headed to the boiler room on the left. A few crows were sitting at the tables and were also telling unfunny jokes to each others, but somehow it still made them laugh. The two children spotted a key on a platform on the other side of the room. They needed to make their way around the giant boiler to reach it. Doing so, they made sure to sneak past the crows when they were busy laughing. At some point, they were halfway from reaching the key. And as they were hiding behind a wall, they suddenly heard one of the C.A.W. agents say something _very unpleasant_.

"I met these two little children earlier and I asked them about the least favorite part of their bodies," the crow said to the others. Arthur and Hat Kid froze and listened closely. It was the same crow they met in the cafeteria and he was currently talking about them. "One of them told me he was ashamed of his _eyes_. And dear lord, I've never seen such terrifying eyes." And with that, he and the other crows laughed loudly. Arthur gasped as a few voices from the past rang through his head.

_"Haha! Take a look at this ugly abomination!"_

_"What's with the ugly face, kid? Hehe!"_

Arthur felt hurt and a few tears were threatening to fall from his eyes. He gritted his teeth and tightened his fists in anger. Those crow **bastards**! He was so glad he didn't tell them the truth about how he was ashamed of his entire self. It just comes to show that you can't trust anyone when it comes to talking about yourself.

Hat Kid noticed the look on Arthur's face, and she suddenly felt her own anger build up in her. How dare these crow meanies say such things about her friend! These jerks should take a look in the mirror before saying that! If they weren't on a stealth mission right now, Hat Kid would have run up to them and beaten them up with her umbrella to teach them a lesson.

"Let's get this case over with and get out of here. I'm getting sick of this nonsense," Arthur muttered angrily. Hat Kid gave him a sympathetic look. She felt bad that he had to hear the crows making fun of him. But like he said, the priority was to find the suspect files so they could find the link to the real murderer, and as soon as they do, they'll be able to put an end to this.

The duo snuck past the C.A.W. agents when they laughed again, and reached the end of the room. Hat Kid grabbed the key and used a blue trapdoor to launch herself and Arthur back to the beginning of the room. The duo then exited the boiler room.

_**20 OWL MINUTES LEFT**_

Before going to the lounge, the two children decided to check the engine room first. When they entered, they spotted a wood-cutting machine who appeared to be functioning at the moment.

Suddenly, the same ringtone from the previous phone calls was heard again. Arthur and Hat Kid frowned in annoyance. Great, what did this guy have to say now? This time, Hat Kid took the initiative to pick up the phone on the wall.

_"You don't give up, do you?"_ the voice asked in an annoyed tone.

"Nope!" Hat Kid answered tauntingly with a smug look on her face.

The mysterious person growled angrily and said, _"It seems the only way I can get rid of you both... is to make you run out of time. So here's a fun-time eater: Rumbo has gotten itself in an unusual situation. It's hanging onto a thin rope for dear life, just above a wood cutting machine. What an odd coincidence!"_

The two children looked up and spotted a carboard cutout of a puppy tied up to a rope a few feet above the wood-cutting machine. Another cutout with a random name given earlier? This guy sure liked to toy around with them...

_"What are you gonna do? Save Rumbo from becoming saw dust, or figure out who the murderer is?"_ the voice asked tauntingly.

_***CLICK***_

Annnnd they hung up again... Hat Kid put the phone back on the wall with a sigh.

"Seriously? It's just wood cutout. Why should we waste our time for it?" Arthur asked unamused. However, as he squinted his eyes, he spotted something attached on the cutout. "Hang on a sec', is that a file on it?" he asked with a puzzled expression.

As soon as he said that, a mechanism sound was heard and the rope holding the puppy cutout began to slowly move down towards the wood-cutting machine. The duo's eyes widened.

"Dammit! We _**need**_ that file!" Arthur said in a panicked tone. He looked up and spotted a control panel with a lever next to it on a platform at the top. "That lever up there! See if you can flip it and bring down the cutout to safety, or else we'll be left with nothing but confetti to read." Hat Kid nodded with determination in her eyes.

She began to make her way up to the lever, jumping on unstable platforms and sneaking past a few C.A.W. agents. She had to do it quick before 'Rumbo' reached the wood-cutting machine. She was almost there, and the puppy cutout was getting dangerously close to the machine.

"Hurry up, kid..." Arthur said under his breathe, panicking in the inside.

Finally, Hat Kid managed to reach the lever and flipped it. When she did, the rope moved 'Rumbo' away from the wood-cutting machine and lowered it safely on the floor. Arthur sighed in relief, while Hat Kid smiled proudly. The small girl climbed back down and went to Arthur's side.

"Nice work, kid!" Arthur praised her with a smile. Hat Kid smiled back and put her hands on her hips proudly. "Now let's see about that-"

_"Thank you kind humans for saving me. Woof. Woof,"_ a voice strangely similar to the one on the phone suddenly came out of the puppy cutout. Arthur and Hat Kid froze in place.

"Did this cutout just talk or am I going crazy?" the twelve-year-old boy asked in total confusion. However, he realized the voice came from a small speaker on the cutout.

_"I found this clue on the murderer. Hope it helps you. Woof. Woof,"_ 'Rumbo' said, before going silent again. Arthur looked at Hat Kid completely lost and confused. The small girl only shrugged in response.

_'Okay, this murder case is getting weirder by the minute...'_ the young boy thought, sighing deeply. Indeed, something definitely felt... off about this murder case. From the way how things looked so far and these cutouts, it was almost as if the whole thing was just a stage. But he didn't have time to think about it. He looked at his watch and saw that they only had 15 minutes left to solve the case. They had to hurry!

He untied the suspect file from 'Rumbo', causing the cutout to trip over and fall on the floor. He opened the file and began to read it with Hat Kid. This one was about the Express Owls. According to the file, the owls had their differences with the victim and were suspected to have killed him over a possible argument that escalated. Huh, strange... The duo had a hard time imagining the Express Owls murder one of their own, but then again, the one they saw in the VIP room said he lost his contact lens somewhere. If it was the case, how did he find his way back to the caboose with a bad eyesight? He must have been helped by the others... or he lied about it. Anyway, it was best to hold onto this file.

They exited the room, and quickly and quietly made their way to lounge and unlocked the double doors with the key they found. Once inside, they snuck past a few patrolling crows and found another suspect file on a server cart.

Opening the file, the next suspect was... the victim? Arthur and Hat Kid were both confused by this. As they read the file, they discovered that the victim had tendencies to be extremely lazy. Not just that, but the Express Owl was also known to suffer from depression and have suicidal thoughts. Therefore, he could have commited suicide. Arthur sighed sadly. Looks like he wasn't the only one who suffered from depression and wanted to die. At least if the owl did commit suicide, he certainly had more courage than he does.

After putting the file away, the two children made their way up and entered the sauna. Once inside, some steam clouded their vision and the temperature felt hotter. Well, it made sense since it was a sauna. Still, Arthur didn't handle the heat very well and he pulled on the collar of his black detective coat by reflex.

"Man, this is the life. Nothing beats a hot sauna," a voice was heard in the sauna. Startled, the duo hid behind a bench and peeked around. They saw two Express Owls talking to each other as they were relaxing on another bench. What were they doing here? Weren't they aware that a murder happened on this train?

"Did you hear some noise outside?" one of the two Express Owls asked.

The other one shrugged and said, "Eh, peck it. I don't wanna go out in the cold."

Yup, it seems like they weren't aware of the situation at all. The two children decided it was best to not disturb them, because the owls could accidentally alert the crows in the lounge if they spotted them. They snuck past the two owls and made their way across the sauna, while making sure to avoid the other three owls who were wandering around the area. The duo found another key in the showers, then they quietly made their way back to the lounge.

_**10 OWL MINUTES LEFT**_

The two children made their way across the room and walked over a plank to reach some double doors. After going through them, they found themselves on a platform with a button on the floor. Hat Kid stepped on it. From a distance, they saw that the lift leading up to the double doors labelled 'KEEP OUT,' was now activated. Now, they could reach the last room, and with the key they found, they could unlock the doors.

They climbed down and quietly made their way to the lift, avoiding the patrolling crows as they did. They used it and were able to get to the double doors. Hat Kid pulled out the key and unlocked the doors.

The last room contained some sort of podium in the middle with a spotlight shining above it, and two suspect files were sitting on it. Before they could pick them up, the duo spotted an X-ray image of them on the wall, which showed the skeletons inside their bodies. As Arthur looked at Hat Kid's X-ray picture, he noticed something... different. There were... vertebrae in her ponytail?

"Uhh... Hat Kid? Do you have bones in your ponytail?" Arthur asked, giving her a puzzled look. Hat Kid nodded. "Uh... Sorry to ask, but... can I...?" he asked awkwardly.

The small girl knew what he was asking. He wanted to touch her ponytail to see if there really were bones in it. It was a bit embarassing for her to hear him ask that, but... sure, why not. She slowly nodded. Arthur gently wrapped his hand around the girl's ponytail to feel it, while making sure to not hurt her. His eyes widened when he felt something hard hidden in the ponytail. Holy crap, there really were bones in it!

"Well, damn..." Arthur said awkwardly, letting go of her ponytail. Hat Kid rubbed the back of her head, feeling very awkward. "Ahem, anyway... let's, uh, take a look at those files, shall we?" the young boy said, trying to change the subject. Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

The two children picked up a file each and opened them. Their eyes widened and their jaws dropped.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me..." Arthur muttered in an angry tone.

The files were about _them_! One about Arthur, and the other one about Hat Kid. According to them, the two children were the last ones to get on the train before the murder happened and they were seen with the victim's body alongside 'Samantha' when it was discovered. Therefore, they were suspected to be her 'accomplices' or the other way around.

The duo grew nervous. Now they were also suspects in this case, but they knew they didn't do it. They were in the locomotive when the victim was killed. Though, it seems like the real murderer managed to make it look like they were involved in the Express Owl's death.

"Dammit..." Arthur said as he put his file away. He sighed and said, "Alright. I think we've searched everywhere around the train, kid. It's time to sum up everything we know so far." Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

Arthur put his hand on his chin and said, "I know for a fact that you and I didn't do it. Obviously, 'Samantha' didn't do it because she's... y'know, a cardboard cutout. It could be a suicide, but I don't think that's the case. If it was, the knife would be in the chest and not in the back. So that leaves the Conductor, the C.A.W. agents, and the Express Owls. What do you think?"

"Hmm..." Hat Kid hummed, putting her hand on her chin. She thought about all the suspect files they had found, the descriptions and the reasons each of them had to commit such an act. Finally, after some thinking, she came to a conclusion and snapped her fingers. She whispered her theory in Arthur's ear, and the young boy nodded.

"Yeah, it makes sense. Alright, we need to get back to the caboose and tell everyone about this," Arthur said. He looked at his watch and he gasped. "We have five minutes left, kid! We need to go back there before the crows find out we're missing!" Hat Kid's eyes widened and she nodded.

Without wasting any more time, the two children made their way back to the caboose as quickly as they could, while making sure to avoid the crows as they did. It was time to reveal who the real murderer is.

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! Here's the second part of Murder on the Owl Express! I gotta admit, I didn't expect this act to be so long in my story, but that's how it is. As you can see, Arthur and Hat Kid found all the suspect files and finally found out who the real murderer is. 'Who is it' you ask? Heh, you'll know it in the next chapter. ;)**

**Anyway, time to answer a few reviews!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Haha! I can imagine him do that too. xD**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** Thank you very much! ^^**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Well, Arthur struggles with depression, and it's combined with a rough past. Therefore, it's very hard for him to think positively when everything seems to be going wrong in his life. And unfortunately, it had a big impact on his personality as you can see. But he is aware that he acts harshly and complains a lot sometimes. He had just come to accept it over the time. Also, if you look on the web, you'll see that depression is very different from simple sadness. When you have it, it's almost impossible to feel any positive emotion at the moment (and sometimes you don't feel any emotion at all). I never had depression myself, but I know two friends who have that and I can tell you, it's nothing simple. Anyway, thank you.**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** Haha! Glad to hear that! XD**

**Anyway, that's all for today, folks! See you in the next chapter!**


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

_**MIDNIGHT! TIME'S UP!**_

Arthur and Hat Kid made it to the caboose just in time, and thankfully, none of the C.A.W. agents spotted them on their way back. When they got back, the Conductor was the first one to greet them.

"Ah, yer made it back! Great!" the strange owl said with a smile.

"Right back at y'all. And we know who murdered that owl," Arthur said, crossing his arms. Hat Kid nodded with a smug look.

At this moment, the group of C.A.W. agents entered the caboose and all of them had nervous expressions on their faces.

"So, who dun it?!" the Conductor asked the crows. The agents exchanged nervous glances between each others.

The lead C.A.W. agent sighed and said, "We don't know. We couldn't find any conclusive evidence. We have no idea who murdered this owl." The Conductor was very displeased to hear this.

"**What!** So you've done peck all to solve the case?!" the strange owl shouted angrily.

"Oh, they got comfortable alright. Sitting around, telling jokes... _Very_ professional," Arthur said sarcastically as he and Hat Kid glared at the crows, causing them to exchange nervous glances.

"_**WHAT?!**_ And you call yerselves agents?! What are ye _**peck necks**_ even paid for?!" the Conductor shouted as he stomped his foot on the floor angrily. The C.A.W. agents looked down shamefully. "Who's the murderer? Which one of you did it?!" the strange owl asked, eyeing everyone suspiciously.

Arthur looked at Hat Kid and said, "You do the honors, and I'll tell the details." The small girl nodded.

Hat Kid put her hand on her chin and eyed everyone in the room. A long silence occured in the room as everyone waited nervously for the girl's response. Finally, after a few seconds, Hat Kid smirked and pointed her finger at someone...

This someone was... the _**Conductor**_! Everyone in the room gasped, while the strange owl took a step back in shock.

"... _**ME**_?!" he asked as nervousness began to gain him.

"That's right, Conductor. _You_," Arthur said seriously.

"B-but... I can't be the murderer, I'm the _Conductor_!" the strange owl said in his defence.

"Trust me, buddy, it _all_ makes sense. The suspect file we found about you revealed you have anger issues and you are prone to violent outbursts. This Express Owl said or did something that made you mad, so you stabbed him out of frustration. Then you needed to frame someone else to get away with it, so you rigged the crime scene and pinned the murder on... 'Samantha'..." Arthur explained. Hat Kid nodded firmly in agreement.

He then sent a glare at the group of crows and continued, "But that's not all... we suspect you to have hired the C.A.W. agents to destroy all the evidence leading to you being the murderer. Then you sent us on this little errand in hope that they'd catch us and we'd be believed to be Samantha's accomplices trying to exonerate her, or the other way around." The Express Owls gasped, and the crows felt very nervous upon hearing this, which only seemed to confirm the duo's theory. The Conductor began to feel more stressed by the minute.

"That was a nice try... but you got really sloppy, Conductor. Or should I say... _**murderer**_?" Arthur said with smirk. Hat Kid crossed her arms and smirked as well.

The Express Owls were dumbfounded by this revelation. They looked at the Conductor and began to ask tons of questions.

"I-is that true?"

"Did you kill Robin?"

"What did you do that for?"

The Conductor was on edge right now. He felt like running out of his own train and hide in a hole somewhere far away from here.

"W-wha?! Come on! Y-yer can't seriously believe that, can yer?" he asked nervously.

Everyone kept staring at him accusingly.

"What? Seriously, what?" he asked, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

Everyone just continued to stare at him.

"It wasn't me!" he shouted, sweat starting to drip from his forehead.

They just continued to stare.

"Stop."

...

"Cut it out!"

...

"ALRIGHT,_** FINE!**_" the Conductor finally snapped as he threw his hands up. "It was me. I did it. There, yer happy?" he confessed with a huff. Everyone in the caboose gasped dramatically, while Arthur and Hat Kid smirked proudly. The two children were happy to have outsmarted and discovered the real murderer.

The Conductor sighed and said, "How'd you figure out it was me? I tried really hard to avoid being the villain in me own movie." Arthur and Hat Kid formed confused looks on their faces. 'Movie'? What was he talking about? "The Express Owl isn't even dead, I just gave him the rubber knife and asked him to play dead for a few hours," he explained.

"What?" Arthur asked dumbfounded. A 'rubber' knife?!

"Yeah, can I go now? I'm kinda sore from playing dead for so long," a voice that no one expected to hear said. Everyone except the Conductor turned their heads towards the 'victim' and their jaws dropped. The Express Owl was standing up... _alive and well_. He pulled out the rubber knife from his back and said, "This rubber knife is also a bit uncomfortable."

"He's... alive? But... what about all the blood?" Arthur asked in total confusion.

"Oh, it's just mercurochrome. The red color makes it look similar to blood," the Express Owl explained as he pulled out a red bottle with the word 'Mercurochrome' written on it. Arthur and Hat Kid couldn't believe it. All of this mess and the victim was still alive? The Conductor approached the two children.

"Well, thanks for solving the murder, kids. Not only did you reveal the murderer, you also revealed that the victim was never harmed," the strange owl thanked the duo. "...and you gave us intense footage for the movie!"

"'Movie'?!" Arthur asked with a shocked look. Hat Kid also formed a shocked expression on her face.

"What? You think I'd let a murder happen on _MY_ Owl Express? Think again! It was all just a setup for my newest Owl Express movie: _Murder on the Owl Express!_" the Conductor explained with a proud smile.

"You think DJ Peck Neck will make a movie that's even remotely as good? I think not!" he added smugly. He then noticed that the two children were giving him death glares. "What?" he asked confused.

"If that was all a stage for your movie, wouldn't it have been convenient to let us know first? We really thought something bad happened here!" Arthur stated in an irritated tone.

"That was the point, laddie. You and the lass visibly have no experience in movie actin', so I had to make it look real so your reactions looked more natural," the Conductor explained.

"I... guess that makes sense," Arthur admitted with a shrug. It is true that if they had been aware that it was for the sake of the Conductor's movie, he would have probably let his anxiety get the best of him and he would have messed up a lot. So maybe that was for the best... Still, it didn't feel right to be tricked like that.

"Anyway. Here, take this thingamajig and get outta here!" the Conductor said, pulling out a Time Piece and tossing it at Hat Kid. The small girl caught it and smiled.

Even if the murder case was nothing more than an act for the Conductor's new movie. The Time Piece made it all worthy.

* * *

Later in the afternoon, owls, penguins, and birds alike gathered inside the movie theatre in Dead Bird Studio for the Conductor's movie premiere. The audience clapped and cheered as the credits rolled on the screen. Arthur and Hat Kid were back in their normal clothes and were sitting next to the Conductor as they watched the movie.

Arthur had to admit. The movie was fun to watch. It had a lot of suspense and his reactions in the movie felt very natural, due to the fact that neither him or Hat Kid knew that it was just a movie at the time. There were a few incoherences in some scenes, but they made good comic relief moments.

Not only that, but it was also western-themed. It also had an image filter that came with it, which made it even more exciting for Arthur since he was a big fan of western movies in all kinds. Although, during the credits, the two children felt offended because Hat Kid was starring as 'Detective Useless' and Arthur as 'Grumpy Sidekick'. Oh well, it was already up and running. No use changing it.

At the end of the credits, the reviews were revealed and they were fairly high. 720 points! The audience loved it!

"Ohohoho! That was great! I've never got such a high score before, even with the owls!" the Conductor said excitedly. He got up from his seat and looked at the two children. "Yer know what? You kids did great! How about we celebrate this with a drink, eh?" he said, motioning for them to follow him.

Arthur and Hat Kid were surprised by this. This strange owl who usually acted angry and self-centered was praising them and offering them a drink? Well, he was pretty happy with the reviews at the moment, so... it made sense. The two children looked at each other and shrugged. Their recording session with DJ Grooves was for later in the evening and they had nothing better to do at the moment, so that could allow them to kill some time.

They followed the Conductor through the studio, and the latter led them to his office. Their eyes widened in awe when they entered it. The room was filled with lots of trophies won from the previous annual bird movie awards! There had to be at least _fifty _of them! How did the Conductor keep winning them all? It made the children feel bad for DJ Grooves, as he was the main and only competitor against the Conductor. The disco penguin did say that he was on a terrible losing streak, therefore he must have lost all of the trophies to the strange owl. It must have been hard for him...

One could easily notice a lot of straw under the Conductor's fancy double bed - probably a bird thing - as well as different posters from his previous western movies pinned on the wall. Arthur couldn't help but stare at them in admiration. It was his favorite universe after all.

"So I take it ye kids like some wee bottles of juice, eh? I might have that," the Conductor said, walking up to a minibar behind his desk and opening it up. "So let's see what... ehhh..." he trailed off when he realized his minibar only contained alcoholic drinks.

"Errrm... You know what? Yer must not be that thirsty, eh?" the strange owl said with a nervous chuckle. Hat Kid was confused by this. Arthur, on the other hand, rolled his eyes, as he figured out what the problem was.

The Conductor picked a bottle of whiskey and a glass from the minibar, before going to sit on his chair behind his desk. The two children sat on the chairs in front of it.

"As I was sayin', that was quite a performance ye two pulled during the recording, even if yer didn't know it was one. Usually my Express Owls tend to peck it all up, but it's a good thing DJ Peck Neck's penguins are worst actors than them," the Conductor said, filling his glass with whiskey.

"Uh, sure..." Arthur said absently as he was taking nervous glances at the glass of whiskey in the strange owl's hand. He wasn't comfortable being around someone who drinks alcohol, because of what it turned his father into.

The Conductor seemed to notice Arthur's uneasiness and grew concerned. He then figured what the boy was looking at, so he decided to set the bottle of whiskey and the glass aside for the time being. This seemed to reassure the twelve-year-old boy slightly.

"So, err, I've been in the movie business for years, and despite how terrible my owl actors are, I was always able to beat that no-good DJ Grooves at the movie awards. Except for that one time, during the 42nd annual bird award, where I ended up 2nd place. That was quite the humiliation," the Conductor said, growling at the memory of him losing award 42 to his rival, DJ Grooves. He then shrugged and said, "But eh, I guess that was bad luck and all. Nothing beats a good ol' western movie, especially not some loud, noisy drivel that those moon penguins call a movie."

"Yeah, western movies are awesome. The Wild West, cowboys, horses, trains... all of it," Arthur said unintentionally, while he was looking back at the posters of the Conductor's movies. This statement catched the strange owl's interest.

"You like western movies too!?" the Conductor asked him in excitement. Arthur's eyes widened when he realized that the movie director heard him and he looked back at him.

"Uhh... yeah, I do. It's... actually my favorite universe. I've seen a lot of movies, books, and video games about it," the young boy answered with a nervous chuckle.

"Oh yeah? Mind sharin' some stories with an old passionated owl, laddie?" the Conductor asked eagerly with a huge grin.

Arthur smiled, relaxing a bit, and began to tell about one of his favorite movies, "Hmm, sure! So there's this one called 'True Grit'. Good movie. Came out a few years ago..."

For almost an hour, Arthur and the Conductor both talked about their favorite western-related movies and books, and the young boy talked about some of his video games too. The Conductor remained interested and attentive during the whole conversation, and Arthur started to grow more comfortable around the strange owl. He was even able to laugh once or twice when the Conductor brought up a few funny moments in the movies he watched or made.

Hat Kid stayed quiet and kept listening to the conversation between the two. She didn't understand a single thing they were saying, but nonetheless, she couldn't help but smile as she was listening to them. When it came to talking about their passion, Arthur and the Conductor were like two peas in a pod. And she was happy to see the boy smile for once. She always saw him looking sad and angry, but right now, it was a different side of him. A happy one.

Eventually, Arthur and the Conductor decided to call it a day. The movie director escorted the duo out of his room.

"Well, it was a lot of fun! I'll see ye two in the recording session for me next movie. It'll be in two days," the Conductor said with a smile. He looked at Arthur and pulled out a DVD movie box from his pocket.

"Oh, and laddy? Here's a copy of one of my previous movies. You'll tell me what yer think of it, eh?" he said, handing out the DVD box. Arthur took it and examined it. On the box's cover image was the Conductor, wearing a brown poncho and a black scarf around his neck, and he was holding a revolver in his hand. Beneath him was a small picture of his train. The title of the movie was 'Once Upon a Time on the Owl Express'.

"Will do. Thanks, Conductor," Arthur said with a smile, putting the DVD box in his pocket. The Conductor was not as bad as he thought he was. Despite his short temper, the strange owl had the same passion as him and he got along very well with him. It was definitely a big change from all the people who kept calling western stories old and boring.

"Ye and I, we should talk again after the next recording. Share some more good ol' western stories, yes?" the Conductor offered.

Arthur smiled and said, "Sounds good. See you soon!".

"Bye!" Hat Kid said as she waved the owl goodbye.

With that, the two children left and the Conductor walked back in his office to start thinking about the scenario for his next movie.

* * *

When Arthur and Hat Kid returned on the spaceship, they put the Time Piece they got from the Conductor back in the vault, and they also reconstituted the relic with the mountain set and the toy train on the other podium in the main room. Hat Kid decided to call it 'Tiny Train (And Birds?)'. In the description, she wondered if there were tiny birds making tiny 'movies', then she claimed she didn't have time to deal with tiny bird society, much to Arthur's amusement.

After that, they decided to watch the movie that the Conductor gave them. Arthur was really enjoying it, although they only watched half of it because it was almost time for their recording session with DJ Grooves. When it was evening, they landed in the parking lot of Dead Bird Studio and went in the reception.

"Oh... It's you two again," the receptionist stated in an annoyed tone. He was still upset over the fact that the duo caused a lot of mess inside the studio and were able to get away with it.

"Good to see you too, buddy," Arthur said sarcastically. The receptionist only rolled his eyes.

"I suppose you're here for the recording of DJ Grooves' movie?" he asked uninterested. The two children simply nodded. The receptionist shrugged and picked up the phone. He then dialed DJ Grooves' phone number and waited for his answer.

"Mr. Grooves? Your little actors have showed up at the reception," the tall owl said on the phone. He nodded as he got an answer. "Alright, I'll tell 'em," he said before hanging up.

"He'll be there in a minute," the receptionist said. He then sighed and said, "I honestly have no idea why he decided to let you star in his movies after all the trouble you lil' chirpers have caused. But that ain't my job to question my bosses' decisions, so whatever." Hat Kid looked at Arthur as to say 'We should apologize to him.' The young boy sighed and nodded.

"Look, buddy. We're sorry for trespassing and all the rest, we were just trying to retrieve what was ours. We didn't mean for things to go so far," Arthur apologized sincerely.

"Sorry," Hat Kid said to back up the boy's apology.

The receptionist stared at them for a moment, before he sighed and said, "You're forgiven. Just be careful around the studio's property next time, alright?" Arthur and Hat Kid nodded.

After waiting for a few more seconds, the two children saw DJ Grooves and a group of moon penguins emerge from the double doors leading to their part of the studio. The disco penguin noticed the duo and walked up to them.

"Good evening, darlings! Are you ready for your first day of recording?" he asked with a warm smile. Arthur and Hat Kid both nodded. "Excellent! Just so you know, we'll be shooting our movie on the moon."

"On the moon?" Arthur asked with a puzzled expression.

"Indeed, darling! We, Moon Penguins, have our own means of transport between the earth and the moon. Please follow me," DJ Grooves said, as he began to walk towards the exit with his fellow penguins. The two children looked at each other curiously, then they followed the moon penguins out of the studio.

The group walked a few meters away behind Dead Bird Studio, before stopping. DJ Grooves pulled out some sort of remote control from his pocket and pressed a button. Suddenly, the whole ground began shaking, startling both children. A part of the ground opened a few feet away from them and something slowly emerged from it.

After a few seconds, the earthquakes calmed down. When Arthur and Hat Kid recovered, their eyes widened in awe. It was a space rocket! A _**pecking**_ space rocket! DJ Grooves chuckled at the children's reactions, before pressing another button. The door of the rocket opened and some stairs leading inside appeared.

"Well, damn... Talk about a first-class ride," Arthur said impressed, while Hat Kid jumped up and down in excitement. DJ Grooves chuckled at the boy's response.

"Alright, penguins! Time to get on board!" the disco penguin announced. The moon penguins nodded and walked up the stairs to the space rocket. "Interested in taking the first flight to the moon, darlings?" DJ Grooves asked with a smile, extending his flipper out towards the rocket.

Hat Kid grinned excitedly and ran up the stairs to get in the space rocket. Arthur was a bit more hesitant due to his fear of heights. But then again, he had been living on a spaceship for the past couple of days, so a trip to the moon on board of a space rocket probably won't kill him. Besides, he was also a bit curious about the moon. He had only seen pictures and videos of it on TV back in his world. Did it look the same or totally different in this universe? He will soon find out.

The young boy walked up the stairs and entered the space rocket, followed by DJ Grooves. Once inside, Arthur's jaw dropped as he looked around at all of the control panels and the technology present in there. It was very impressive!

"Alright, darlings! Take a seat! We'll be leaving for the moon in a few seconds," DJ Grooves said as he went to sit on the captain's chair.

Arthur did as he was told and took a seat next to Hat Kid. He noticed that the purple-hatted girl could barely contain her excitement and she was moving quite a lot in her seat. The young boy couldn't help but shake his head in amusement.

"Buckle up, darlings! We're ready to fly up!" the disco penguin announced. The two children and the moon penguins all buckled up and got themselves ready for the rocket launch.

The door of the rocket closed, and within a minute, the space rocket was launched up in space, heading straight for the moon.

**A/N:**** Alright, guys! That wraps up 'Murder on the Owl Express' for this story! It took longer than expected, but I'm glad how it turned out. I also hope you liked this little interaction between Arthur and the Conductor in the middle of the chapter.**

**As you've all guessed, the next act is 'Picture Perfect' with DJ Grooves! And as you can see, I've written a small introduction to show how the Moon Penguins travel between the earth and the moon. Tell me what you think of it. ^^**

**So there's only been one review for the previous chapter. I'm gonna answer it.**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Thank you! And you're welcome. I know that not a lot of people know about depression and the effects it has on a person, which is why I felt the need to explain it. This story also explains a bit about it, but not completely. It's best to look on the Internet for it.**

**Alright, that's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

When the space rocket safely landed on the moon, everyone got off ot it. Before going outside, Arthur asked DJ Grooves if he had spacesuit to breathe. However, the disco penguin assured him that the air was actually breathable, much to the boy's surprise. And he was right, Arthur was actually _able_ to breathe on the moon without a spacesuit! Not only that, but there was also a city there. An _actual_ city! The moon in this universe was definitely different from his home world's.

DJ Grooves led Arthur and Hat Kid on a small stage that was set up inside the city, with a giant poster of the disco penguin on the wall behind it. A large crowd of Moon Penguins were gathered in front of the stage. Some had cameras, others had notebooks with pens. Arthur already felt nervous being surrounded by so many people.

"Welcome to the first day of shooting, darlings!" DJ Grooves said joyfully.

"So... what are we supposed to do here? Do some penguin dance in disco clothes and an afro?" Arthur asked jokingly, making Hat Kid laugh.

DJ Grooves chuckled and said, "None of that, darling. For this movie, we need to transform you both into the biggest movie stars the bird world has ever seen! You need to become... _divas_!"

"Divas? Does that mean we're... gonna sing...?" Arthur asked anxiously.

Singing in public? No way in hell he'll be doing that! He felt uncomfortable enough at the idea of being at the center of attention, so singing in front of everyone? That was a no-no. And he wasn't the only one, Hat Kid didn't like singing in public either. So they hoped the disco penguin wouldn't make them sing.

To their relief, DJ Grooves shook his head and explained, "You won't have to. I've called for a press conference here on our moon set. All you need to do is get out there in front of the cameras, and _electrify_ the public, darlings! Get 'em really up and going for your movies!"

"Seems simple enough I guess..." Arthur said, still a bit hesitant.

"Once you've got them going crazy, come back here and we'll show off our new prop! That's right, we'll unveil our new movie prop to the masses!" the disco penguin said in excitement. This caught the two children's interest. He must be talking about one of the Time Pieces he had. Hopefully, he will let them keep it after that.

"One last thing, darlings," DJ Grooves said as he pulled out a remote control from his pocket and handing it out to them. "I've set some endorsement moments all around the city for our movie. If you spot anything that looks special, press the button on this remote control and I'll come sliding right at your sides to help you two build quite the good reputation!" Hat Kid took the remote control and put it in her pocket.

"Now you're ready and set, darlings! Go on and show the public the extent of your wonderful talents!" DJ Grooves said with a smile. The two children nodded.

The duo looked at the crowd of penguins who were giving them their full attention. Hat Kid took a step forward on the stage to get closer to them.

"Hello!" Hat Kid greeted them, waving her hand. The crowd cheered and began taking pictures of her. The small girl grinned and began doing a few poses for the public who cheered even more. Arthur decided to stay back and let Hat Kid do her thing, since he didn't like being at the center of attention.

When she was done, Hat Kid motioned for Arthur to follow her, then she jumped off the stage to walk further in the city. The crowd stepped aside to let her through. Arthur sighed and began to follow her. He pulled his cowboy hat down slightly and looked down to hide his face from the cameras as he walked by the penguins.

He joined Hat Kid who was looking at a fountain in the middle of the plaza. At the top of it was a cutout of a puppy. It was strangely similar to the one they saw in 'Murder on the Owl Express'. Hat Kid figured it was one of the special setups that DJ Grooves talked about. She pulled out the remote control that was given to her and pressed the button.

_"You called, darlings? Looks like it's endorsement time!"_ the disco penguin's voice was heard coming from the remote, surprising both children.

Within a few seconds, DJ Grooves arrived near the fountain, accompanied by a group of Moon Penguins carrying a camera.

"All you penguins out there know my name... _DJ Grooves_! And I'm telling you, these young children here are the next hot thing. Guaranteed!" the disco penguin said to the camera, as he motioned to the two children. Hat Kid waved with a smile, while Arthur looked away and simply raised his hand in discomfort.

"Just look, as they'll climb up this statue and rescue the poor puppy that has gotten stuck!" DJ Grooves said, showing the puppy cutout on the fountain. "Right, darlings?" he asked the duo in expectation.

Hat Kid noticed that Arthur seemed hesitant to move, so she decided to take the initiative herself. She firmly nodded and climbed up the statue fountain with ease. When she made it to the top, she attempted to grab the cutout. However, she accidentally tripped and bumped into it, causing it to fall on the ground and break into pieces.

Hat Kid turned her head towards the camera and said, "Oops...", as she smiled nervously and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Uhh..." DJ Grooves said, rubbing the back of his head nervously, as he tried to think of a solution to cover up the girl's mistake. He smiled when he had an idea.

"Look at that! She helped the puppy down, safe and sound! Too bad it ran off, and definitely didn't break into multiple pieces," he said with a nervous chuckle. The penguins clapped and cheered for Hat Kid. DJ Grooves sighed in relief, before continuing, "This is truly a diva I can get behind. Let it be known that this lil' girl is all about animals!"

The disco penguin then noticed that Arthur remained on the side, alone and quiet. Not wanting the young boy to be left aside, he decided to speak up for him.

"And of course, her trusty companion is always here to give support in her times of need. It's the devotion of a _true divo_!" DJ Grooves said, motioning to Arthur.

The camera turned in the boy's direction, causing him to take a step back in surprise. Peck... Now that he was put on the spot, he had to say or do something. Arthur waved his hand timidly and gave everyone an awkward smile. Way to make a fool of himself...

However, the Moon Penguins cheered louder, which surprised the young boy. Normally when people were giving him their attention, it was usually to criticize or laugh at him. But it was different this time... people were _cheering_ for him. It was... a different feeling... but even so, he was still not comfortable with it.

"Make sure to join their fanclub! DJ Grooves... out!" the disco penguin said to the camera. His fellow penguins clapped before walking away with the camera in hands.

Arthur let out an exhale, relieved that the Moon Penguins were now gone. Hat Kid jumped down from the statue fountain and landed next to the young boy. DJ Grooves pulled out a device from his pocket that showed the amount of members in Arthur and Hat Kid's fanclub. He smiled when saw the numbers rising up.

"Nice work, darlings! The audience loved the performance!" the disco penguin said happily, showing the device's screen to the children. Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes widened. They already had 107 fans in such a short amount of time!

"Keep going at 'em like that, and you'll soon become _**Max Divas**_!" DJ Grooves added excitedly. "Call me again when you see anything else that makes a good endorsement moment in the city. Alright, darlings?" he said before walking away, leaving the duo alone in the plaza. Hat Kid made a motion with her head to tell Arthur to follow her, which he did.

While they were walking down the street, a paparazzi penguin suddenly came out of nowhere and took a picture of the duo with his camera. The two children were not prepared for this, and they covered their faces with their arms by reflex.

"Thanks!" the Moon Penguin thanked them happily, before walking away.

"Jesus... I would appreciate it if they'd not do that!" Arthur hissed in an irritated tone. Hat Kid had to admit, she didn't appreciate the element of surprise neither. But it was done now, no use dwelling on it.

They continued to walk down the street, waving at a few penguins who waved back happily. They also made sure to avoid the car traffic in the streets and some small UFOs floating around. These alien spacecrafts were so stereotypical, which annoyed Hat Kid slightly but she chose to ignore it.

Eventually, they arrived at the entrance of a dark alleyway and spotted two penguins whispering to each other. The way they were acting looked very suspicious, and that made the duo wonder what these two were up to. Just to make sure, Hat Kid pulled out the remote control and pressed the button, so DJ Grooves could come see this.

After receiving an answer from the disco penguin, the latter and the penguins carrying the camera quickly arrived on the scene. Upon seeing them coming, Arthur slightly pushed his hat down to hide his face in anticipation.

"All you penguins out there know my name... DJ Grooves! And I'm telling you, these young children here are the next hot thing. Guaranteed!" DJ grooves said to the camera, before stepping aside to show the two children and the suspicious-looking penguins. "Look how street-smart these divas are. They're standing in this sinister alleyway, right next to some potential wrongdoers!" he announced.

The two suspicious penguins then noticed that everyone was looking at them. Remembering what they were supposed to do, they quickly ran out of the scene. Arthur and Hat Kid both looked at each other and shrugged.

"Danger are their middle name, and they're not afraid to step outside of their comfort zone!" DJ Grooves said. Arthur quietly shook his head. Honestly, he had been out of his comfort zone the moment these Moon Penguins started filming him and taking pictures of him. Hell, maybe even since he arrived in this world... "Make sure you join their fanclub! DJ Grooves... out!" And with that, the penguins left again.

The two children continued to explore the city, walking down the streets, going on the rooftops by using some springboards. Since the gravity on the moon was less important than on Earth, their jumps were higher, which made them easier to make. For a while, they did some photo posing and waved at other penguins they came across. Their ratings skyrocketed very fast, and they quickly went over 10,000 fans.

Hat Kid was having a lot of fun doing all of this. Arthur, on the other hand, felt very uncomfortable and anxious with all of these paparazzi penguins filming him and taking pictures of him. He couldn't help but try to hide his face from the cameras, and he even attempted to slip away when they were focused on Hat Kid. However, every time he did, other penguins would get in his way and attempt to take pictures of him or ask him tons of questions.

DJ Grooves was watching the children do their thing from afar, and he eventually noticed Arthur's uneasiness. The disco penguin couldn't help but feel concerned for the boy. Maybe all of that was a bit too much for him to handle. He would have to ask him about that after the recording.

When walking on the rooftops, the duo spotted a poker table with four eggs wearing fedoras and fake beaks. It was probably here to simulate Moon Penguins playing a card game. The two children figured it was something that DJ Grooves put in place for another endorsement moment. Hat Kid pulled out the remote control and pressed the button once more. Soon enough, DJ Grooves and the other penguins were here with the camera.

"All you penguins out there know my name... DJ Grooves! And I'm telling you, these young children here are the next hot thing. Guaranteed!" the disco penguin repeated to the camera, before motioning to the card game setup. "Watch as they beat these hard-boiled card players at their own game... on their **first try**!"

Arthur and Hat Kid looked at him with raised eyebrows. He wants them to beat these card players on their first try? How were they supposed to do that?

"This game is easy to understand, darlings. You just guess which number of card the other player is holding, from 1 to 10," DJ Grooves explained to the duo. He showed one of the 'players' holding a card in its 'hand' – which was just a stick shaped into a hand. "Which card do you think he's holding, darlings?"

The two children looked at each other in confusion. They had to guess which card the 'player' was holding on their _first try_? How? None of them were seers! There was no way they could guess which card the 'player' was holding.

Suddenly, they noticed that one of the Moon Penguins next to the camera was raising up three fingers with his flipper. Was he silently giving them the answer? That would be cheating, but then again it was for the sake of the movie.

"Uhh... Three?" Arthur said hesitantly.

"Alright, darling. Moment of truth..." DJ Grooves said, taking the card from the egg's 'hand' and looking at it. He smiled, before showing the card to the camera. It indeed had the number 3!

"Wow! Fantastic! Incredible! The answer is indeed _three_! Folks at home, you have just witnessed the stunning intuition of true stars," the disco penguin said enthusiastically. The two children sighed in relief, though they felt bad for getting help in 'guessing' the answer. "Make sure you join their fanclub! DJ Grooves... out!" he said once again, before walking away with the other Moon Penguins. Once the duo were left alone again, Arthur sighed.

"It doesn't feel right to cheat like that. I feel like a fraud..." he said glumly. Hat Kid nodded sadly, feeling the same way. However, they knew it was for the movie, so it was best to not dwell on it. "Come on, let's move," Arthur suggested.

The two children continued to explore the city. They were able to find two yarns on the rooftops, more photo shots and penguins to greet. They now had over 150,000 fans! They were becoming quite the celebrities! They returned in the streets, and came across a table which had a big tuna on it, in front of a restaurant. Hat Kid had a feeling it was something else that was set for the movie, so she called for DJ Grooves again. And sure enough, he and the Moon Penguins showed up with the camera.

As the penguins were getting the camera ready, DJ Grooves took this as an opportunity to tell something important to the children.

"Now, darlings, I have to mention this. Cooking show hosts have a terrible track record of getting angry and swearing on-screen. Try not to use the _P-word_, OK? Don't say p-e-c-k," the disco penguin said, grimacing when he mentioned the forbidden word. The two children looked at him confused, before eventually realizing what he meant.

"Oh, you mean pe-" Arthur's question was cut off when DJ Grooves covered his mouth with his flippers.

"Yeah, that word... Don't say it," the disco penguin said sternly. He then removed his flippers from the boy's mouth, allowing him to speak again.

"Heh... sorry," Arthur apologized as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"The Conductor is old-fashioned. He throws that word around a lot. It'll get him in trouble someday!" DJ Grooves explained. "Until then, let's keep our show clean."

"Sounds good," Arthur said with a nod, earning a relieved smile from the disco penguin. Hat Kid, on the other hand, seemed to have other plans judging by the slight smile that showed up at the corner of her lips. Although neither Arthur or DJ Grooves seemed to have noticed it.

One of the Moon Penguins gave a thumbs up to DJ Grooves to signal him that the camera was up and running. The disco penguin nodded and began to speak.

"Hello viewers! Even the biggest celebrities have to eat, and I've got with me the biggest celebrities of them all," DJ Grooves said enthusiastically, motioning to the two children. He turned to them and asked, "Now tell us darlings, what kind of condiment do you like on your tuna sandwiches?"

As Arthur thought of an answer, he looked at Hat Kid and found her having the biggest mischevious grin she ever had on her face. Uh oh... That look didn't mean anything good... What did she have in mind now- Arthur's eyes widened, suddenly realizing what she was about to say.

"Hat Kid, don't you dare..." the young boy threatened through gritted teeth. However, Hat Kid's composure remained unchanged. "If you open that mouth of yours, I'm gonna-"

"**PECK!**"

Too late...

"_**DARLING!**_" DJ Grooves shouted in shock. The other Moon Penguins all gasped. One of them even fainted.

"Oh my god..." Arthur muttered, covering his face with both hands in embarassment.

After that, Hat Kid bursted out in laughter, wrapping her arms around her side. She just had to do it, it was too tempting!

"I-I mean... fellow viewers! Look at the mouth on this young girl. She's really something," DJ Grooves stammered nervously, sweat dripping from his forehead.

The small girl was in an uncontrollable laughing fit at the moment, under the annoyed and embarassed look of Arthur. As much as he hated to admit, DJ Grooves found himself being slightly amused at the sight.

As Hat Kid slowly stopped laughing, the disco penguin got closer to the duo and whispered to them, "Now shoo, get out of this endorsement as soon as you can, before the old penguins watching TV notice what just happened." The two children obliged and ran away from the scene.

"Dammit, Hat Kid! You need to get ahold of yourself sometimes! It'll be a miracle if these penguins don't lynch us before the end of this movie!" Arthur said in an annoyed and angry tone, while the two of them were still running away. Hat Kid only giggled sheepishly.

Despite what happened in the last endorsement, the duo continued doing some picture shots and waving at the Moon Penguins. To their surprise, some of them told them that they found the last endorsement hilarious, especially DJ Grooves' reaction. Arthur felt relieved upon hearing it, but that still didn't mean Hat Kid should do it too often.

Back on the stage, DJ Grooves was looking at the amount of fans the duo had, and he was impressed. Their fanclub counted over 1,000,000 members! They were now Max Divas! He decided that now was the right time to show off the new movie prop he got.

_"The audience is going crazy, darlings! Come over here and show off our new stunner... our **new prop**!"_ DJ Grooves' voice was heard coming from the remote control in Hat Kid's pocket.

The two children smiled at each other, knowing they will finally be able to get the Time Piece. They made their way back to the stage, where the disco penguin was waiting for them, along with a crowd of paparazzi penguins.

"Alright, darlings! You do the honors!" DJ Grooves said with a smile, as he gave the Time Piece to Hat Kid.

The purple-hatted girl stepped closer to the crowd and did a pose while holding the Time Piece up in the air for everyone to see. The crowd of penguins cheered and clapped loudly, taking pictures and repeating Hat Kid and Arthur's names enthusiastically.

Once again, Arthur felt a bit overwhelmed to hear all of those penguins calling his name and cheering for him. It was the same feeling he had back when the Mafia men called him a hero after he and Hat Kid saved Mafia Town during the lava incident. And he still wasn't getting used to it.

DJ Grooves picked up his microphone and announced, "All right, ladies and gents, this marks the end of our brand new movie: _Picture Perfect_! Thank you, fellow penguins, for being here tonight! And you, fellow viewers, for watching us on TV!" He turned his head towards the two children. "And thank you too, darlings, for getting the public in the _groove_ and giving us some great shooting!" Hat Kid grinned from ear to ear and nodded, while Arthur simply smiled timidly and rubbed the back of his head. The disco penguin turned his attention back to the public.

"Remember to join their fanclub, as they are the new generation of _**true stars**_! DJ Grooves... out!" he said, pushing down his sunglasses and winking at the public. The crowd clapped and cheered once again.

After a moment, the crowd of penguins scattered and left the scene, leaving the trio alone on the stage.

"You two were wonderful tonight, especially you Hat Kid darling! The audience was on _fire_ before your graceful poses," DJ Grooves said with a smile, earning a giggle from Hat Kid. She really had a lot of fun tonight! It's too bad that it was already over. Oh well, she will probably be able to do something similar in the next recording. DJ Grooves glanced at Arthur for a second, before looking back at Hat Kid.

"Could you give us a moment, darling? I need to speak with Arthur in private," he asked. Hat Kid slowly nodded, confused and curious at the same time.

The disco penguin put his flipper behind Arthur's back and guided him a few feet away from Hat Kid to talk.

"W-what's going on?" the young boy asked anxiously, fearing that he might be in trouble for acting awkwardly in front of the cameras. However, the disco penguin's expression softened and he put his flipper on the boy's shoulder.

"Darling, are you okay?" DJ Grooves asked with concern in his voice. Arthur was taken aback by the sudden question.

"Me? Uh, y-yeah. I'm all good," he answered, though the disco penguin wasn't convinced.

"Showing off in front of the cameras isn't really your thing, is it? You don't have to do it if you don't want to, darling. We can have your friend perform in the next movie, and we can give you something else to do, like holding the camera," DJ Grooves suggested sympathetically.

Arthur was surprised by his concern. This movie director was actually the first person in his entire life who actually gave him a choice depending on how he was feeling. However, the boy shook his head. Now that people have seen him on screen, they will probably expect him to be alongside Hat Kid in the next movie. He had to keep doing this. For Hat Kid and the Time Pieces.

"I... appreciate it, DJ Grooves. Don't worry about me though, I can keep doing it," he said.

"Are you sure, darling?" DJ Grooves asked, still seeing that he seemed unsure.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Wouldn't want the public to be disappointed with your next movie just because I'm not in there," Arthur said nervously.

"The audience won't mind. I'm sure of it," the disco penguin assured.

"I just... I have to do it. It's for the best..." Arthur said with a sigh. He didn't want to make more people mad at him just because he gave a damn about his own feelings for once. There was enough folks who were mad at him in the past just because he didn't meet their standards. He didn't want to go through that again.

Seeing that he wasn't going to change his mind, DJ Grooves sighed and said, "As you wish, darling. But let me know if it's too much for you, okay?" Arthur nodded in appreciation. DJ Grooves smiled at the boy, then the two made their way back to Hat Kid's side.

"Thank you for being here tonight, darlings. The premiere for the movie will be tomorrow morning, I'll see you two there," the disco penguin said to the duo. He then eyed the Time Piece in Hat Kid's hands and said, "You can keep this movie prop as a reward for your efforts, darlings. You've earned it."

"Thank you!" Hat Kid thanked him happily. She really liked DJ Grooves. He was so nice and funny! She couldn't wait for the next recording session with him.

After waving goodbye to the disco penguin, the two children used the Time Piece to return to the spaceship. As soon as they did, they both went to their respective beds and flopped on them, exhausted after a long day of recording with the two movie directors.

* * *

The next day in the morning, everyone was gathered in the movie theatre of Dead Bird Studio to watch 'Picture Perfect' on screen. Arthur and Hat Kid were sitting next to DJ Grooves as they watched the movie. The purple-hatted girl had a huge grin on her face as she rewatched the poses and actions she did during the recording. Arthur, on the other hand, felt a bit embarrassed to watch how shy he acted on screen. Thankfully, the audience didn't seem to mind it, believing it was part of an act. Some even said that it gave him some kind of mysterious side, which they liked.

The movie had a lot of funny moments, especially when Hat Kid said 'peck' on screen. A large part of the audience laughed when they watched that scene, mostly because of DJ Grooves' reaction in it. As the credits rolled, the public clapped and cheered. Hat Kid was starring as 'The Mysterious Diva' and Arthur as 'The Shy Divo'. The young boy wasn't too sure what to think of that name, but he figured it fit how he acted in the movie.

After the credits, the reviews were revealed. 864 points! The movie was a better success than 'Murder on the Owl Express'. DJ Grooves smiled happily, knowing that he was now ahead of the Conductor.

"Oh wonderful! The audience loved it! See, darlings? I knew you two were natural-born movie stars!" the disco penguin said excitedly to the duo, earning a smile from the two children.

Unknown to them, the Conductor was at the back of the theatre... and he was _**furious**_. He growled in frustration, unable to believe that his rival managed to get more points than him. This is bad... If this kept going, he was going to lose a second award against that peck neck. He needed to up his game considerably if he wanted to win this... Maybe more action in his next movie? The strange owl then grinned as he got the _perfect_ scenario idea for it.

"Yer may have won this round, DJ Peck Neck, but we'll see if yer can outmatch me next movie. It's going to be... _**the bomb**_! Hehehehe," he whispered to himself with an evil chuckle, rubbing his hands together.

**A/N:**** Hello everyone! Hope you all enjoyed this new chapter on 'Picture Perfect'! Next up is 'Train Rush' and you can already have an idea on how it's going to go. Although, before going to that part, the next chapter will be about two time rifts: the purple one and the blue one on the Conductor's train. As well as another character from early chapters who knows Arthur and Hat Kid and will return... Who, you may ask? Heh... It'll be revealed in the next chapter. But if you've played the game, you can have an idea who returns in this part of the story.**

**Anyway, time to answer reviews!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Thanks! I'm glad to hear you liked the moment with the Conductor, even if you expected it to go differently. ^^**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Thanks! I really enjoyed writing that moment and portraying the Conductor that way. Also yeah, I felt pretty motivated to write those chapters. ^^**

_**To OddCombo:**_** Thank you very much! It means a lot to me that you're enjoying this story. And don't worry, I'll make sure all of my chapters come out great! Quality before quantity as you say. ;)**

_**To Maoshin:**_** Thanks! I enjoyed writing the moment between Arthur and the Conductor. ^^**

_**To Rub37:**_** Thanks! Don't worry, I've got some juicy dialogues in mind for the confrontration between the duo and Mustache Girl in the Finale. ;)**

**That's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"For the hundredth time, Hat Kid, stop looking at my drawings!" Arthur hissed angrily as he covered his drawing with his hand.

It was early in the afternoon at the moment. After watching the premiere of 'Picture Perfect' this morning, the two children had returned on the spaceship to rest for the day. Arthur had decided to spend some time to draw. And of course, Hat Kid tried to take interest in his work and wanted to watch him draw. However, the young boy was annoyed that she continued to step in his comfort zone, despite how many times he said he wanted to be alone. He eventually had enough and began to snap at her.

"I already told you, I ain't looking for a friend! All I ask is to have some peace and quiet when I'm drawing! How hard is that to understand?!" Arthur shouted with an angry look. Hat Kid took a step back, feeling hurt. She then glared at him.

"You **jerk**!" Hat Kid huffed angrily, stomping her foot on the floor in frustration. She was just trying to show that she cared about him and wanted to be his friend. But now, she had more than enough. Fine then! He can stay alone and continue being the big jerk he is! The purple-hatted girl walked away angrily and went in her bedroom.

Arthur shook his head and went back to drawing. However, after a minute, he slowly stopped drawing and his expression softened. He began to feel guilty for snapping at her like that. She wasn't doing any harm, she just wanted to look at his drawings. Was it a reason to get mad at her like that?

He sighed sadly. He really was the biggest jerk in the universe, wasn't he? Yeah, he was... Hat Kid had been kind enough to let him stay in her spaceship, and this is how he is thanking her? He should go apologize to her. That's the least he could do... He set his drawing aside and got up, before walking towards Hat Kid's room.

When he entered it, he found her sitting on her bed, her arms crossed and her back turned on him. Even though he couldn't see her face, Arthur could tell she was really mad right now. Not that he blamed her for it... He took a deep breathe, preparing himself mentally for what will come next. Will she even forgive him for his behavior? Probably not, he wouldn't either... But he had to apologize anyway. He will just have to face the consequences as they come...

"Hey, uh... Hat Kid..." he began to say with hesitation. Hat Kid didn't turn around and seemed to be ignoring him. Arthur sighed sadly. It was going to be much harder than he anticipated... "Listen, I... I'm really sorry for what I said before... I just... I've had bad experiences with people before, and I... I just learned to not trust anyone, you know?" He sighed again. "I know I tend to come off as a jerk. Hell, I know I'm a jerk... but that ain't no reason for me to treat you like that, especially since you let me stay on your spaceship and all."

Hat Kid still didn't look at him. Arthur sighed, knowing that he screwed up big time, but he should finish his apology nonetheless.

"Look... I'm not asking for forgiveness. It ain't about that... I just wanted to apologize for being such an angry, annoying, rude bastard... A..." he said before sighing again. He can just say it now... "A peck neck, as the Conductor would say. A _peck neck_... The worst in the whole universe... So... I'm really sorry, Hat Kid. That's... all I wanted to say," he finished his apology. There, he got that off of his chest. Whatever happens next... is up to her.

Finally, Hat Kid got off of her bed and turned around to look at Arthur with a serious expression, before approaching him. The young boy closed his eyes, bracing himself for what she might do next. Was she going to yell at him? Hit him? Tell him to never come back on her spaceship? To be honest, he didn't care. He deserved it for the way he behaved...

However, the reaction that Arthur got was not the one he expected. His eyes shot open when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his neck. Almost immediately, a mix of surprise, shock, confusion and disbelief overwhelmed him. Hat Kid was _hugging_ him! Arthur was completely lost right now. Why? Why was she doing this? All he did was being a jerk to her, she should be mad at him! Why was she hugging him?

"I forgive you," Hat Kid said softly, hugging the boy tighter. Arthur's eyes widened in shock. She... forgives him? Even after everything that happened before? He... didn't know what to say.

Arthur hadn't had a hug for years. It felt... nice... comforting. And yet, he couldn't help but feel awkward. Receiving a hug from someone after such a long time... It was new to him. In response, he simply patted Hat Kid's back with one hand awkwardly. Though he didn't try to push her away and simply let her continue hugging him. Hat Kid suddenly pulled away and snapped her fingers as she remembered something.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked puzzled. The small girl then grabbed his hand and began dragging him along with her. "Whoa, whoa! Where are you taking me?" he asked in surprise. Hat Kid didn't say anything and simply continued dragging him behind.

She took him to the machine room, then she led him through automatic double doors on the left. When they entered the room, Arthur's eyes widened and his jaw dropped in awe. The walls were covered in paintings. A lot of them featured Hat Kid, and others were painted objects and people they had met on the planet so far. Oddly, these paintings were similar to ones he saw back in his home world. But damn... they looked so good! Almost better than some well-known artists he knew from his world. Did Hat Kid painted all of them?

"Hat Kid, did you... did you do all of this?" Arthur asked dumbfounded and impressed. Hat Kid nodded with a grin, putting her hands on her hips proudly. "That's... that's really impressive. I... I had no idea you could paint," he said, his voice full of admiration. Hat Kid was an artist, and he didn't even know that.

The small girl then wrapped an arm around Arthur and pointed at a specific painting with her other hand. The young boy's eyes widened even more. No... No way. It was... a painting of _him_! The background was a desert, and a western-themed town could also be seen in it. Arthur's outfit in the painting was the same, expect he was wearing a sleeveless brown jacket and a dark red scarf. He was holding a revolver up in his right hand and he was riding a horse. He also had a smirk on his face in the painting, along with a wheat stalk in his mouth.

"You... You did that... for _me_?" Arthur asked amazed. Hat Kid nodded with a smile, unwrapping her arm from him.

The twelve-year-old boy felt something he didn't in a long time... Happiness. No one had ever done something like that for him before. Hat Kid wasn't faking it, she _really_ cared about him and his interests. Perhaps he was wrong about her after all.

Arthur gave Hat Kid a genuine smile and said, "You know what, Hat Kid? I've misjudged you. I thought you were like all them folks who didn't give a damn about me or my interests. But you've proven me wrong today... You're all right in my book." The purple-hatted girl smiled, knowing that she finally managed to gain the boy's trust.

Hat Kid extended her hand out to him and asked, "Friends?". Arthur smiled warmly. So, even after everything that happened before, she still wanted to be his friend? Well, there was no doubt anymore. Hat Kid had proven that she was trustworthy. Perhaps, he could make an exception and allow himself to have a friend again.

"Friends," Arthur answered as he shook her hand. Hat Kid felt very happy. After all of those days where Arthur kept distrusting her and pushing her away, he finally accepted to become her friend. It was definitely a good step in the right direction.

**"Warning. Intruder alert."**

The two children jolted upon hearing the sudden alarm. An intruder, again? Who was it this time? Arthur and Hat Kid pulled out their weapons, and ran out of the art gallery. When they returned in the machine room, they found the intruder at the corner of the room. It was... just a jar? But what was more strange is that the jar contained a strange purple liquid with a pair of blue eyes floating in it. It also had a black mustache and a nose, and it was wearing a chef's hat on the lid. Right now, the jar was standing on a cart carrying a light blue luggage.

The duo approached it with confused expressions. Upon seeing the two children, the jar glared at them.

"So... we meet again. My **arch nemeses**!" the jar said bitterly. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other in confusion. They don't recall meeting it somewhere before.

"Do we know you?" Arthur asked with a raised eyebrow. The jar seemed offended.

"...**WHAT?!** You don't remember me?!" it asked dumbfounded. The two children shook their heads. "How rude! It's me, Boss of the Mafia!" the jar said, hopping up and down in anger. Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes widened in shock. The Mafia Boss? He was a jar now?

"Remember? You two knocked me out in our little _indiscretion_, and your young 'friend' finished me off and captured my remains in this jar!" the Mafia Boss said angrily.

"Oh no..." Arthur muttered as he put his hand on his face in disappointment, while Hat Kid formed a shocked look. Mustache Girl actually went through with her mush and jar plan? How far was she willing to go to achieve revenge?

"I'm without a body! I should be furious! But, it is okay. The past is the past, and I'll accept one of your _carcasses_ as an apology," the Mafia Boss said, hoping that the children would accept to give him one of their bodies. The duo grimaced at the jar's request.

"Yeaaah, no... We kinda need our bodies right now. Sorry, buddy," Arthur said, grossed out at the idea of being used as a new body for the Mafia Boss. Hat Kid nodded nervously in agreement.

"**WHAT?!** YOU WON'T HAND THEM OVER?! Such nerve on such small children! If I had hands, I would slap the both of you!" the jarred crime lord shouted angrily. The two children simply rolled their eyes at him. "I'll just buy a new body then! There has to be some poor soul out there who would be willing to trade his corpse for money!" he muttered.

"If you say so, jar-stache. Well, if you're done shooting that big mouth of yours, I guess I can toss you back in space," Arthur said as he went to grab him. The Mafia Boss immediately grew nervous as the boy began approaching him.

"W-wait! I may not look like it right now, but I'm well-travelled. I know the whereabouts of all secrets on this planet!" the jarred crime lord said nervously, hoping to dissuade the young boy from kicking him out.

"Is that so?" Arthur asked with a skeptical look.

"Yes!" the Mafia Boss said, opening up his luggage with his... well... jar-that-serves-as-a-body and searching into it. Once he found what he was looking for, he jumped on the luggage to close it and leaned over to put down a certain item on it. It was a brown badge with some dotted lines and a cross drawn on it as to simulate a map.

"Buy my map badge, and it will show you where you can find relics that will make you rich!" he explained. Hat Kid was interested. A badge that can show where to find relics would definitely be handy when exploring a new area.

"How much it costs?" Arthur asked.

"400 pons," the Mafia Boss answered.

"400 pons? Damn. Your thing ain't cheap, pal," the twelve-year-old boy remarked.

"Neither is a body in perfect condition, boy!" the jarred crime lord retorted angrily.

"Well, before buying a new body – if you can find someone who is dumb enough to sell theirs – you should save your money for a magazine to solve your anger issues, jar-stache," Arthur said snarkily, making Hat Kid giggle.

"Oh, such rudeness! You're lucky I'm just a jar right now, boy!" the Mafia Boss exclaimed, hopping up and down in anger.

"Calm down. We'll take that badge of yours if it means you will shut up," Arthur said as he checked his pockets for pons. He pulled out a bag of 200 pons that he collected during his time in Dead Bird Studio, and Hat Kid did the same.

With two bags, they were able to pay for the badge. Hat Kid took the badge and put it in her pocket, while the Mafia Boss picked up the bags of pons with the top of his lid and put them in his luggage.

"Pull out my map whenever you need to find relics!" the Mafia Boss explained.

"Thanks, I guess," Arthur said.

"Now shoo! I need to think in peace," the jarred crime lord ordered.

"Who said you could stay on board?" Arthur asked as he raised an eyebrow. Hat Kid crossed her arms and nodded, agreeing with him.

"I lost my body because of _**you**_! Therefore it's only fair that I get to stay on your spaceship until I get a new body!" the Mafia Boss said sternly. "And once I have it, I'll have my revenge on you both and that little mustached girl!"

Arthur chuckled dryly. Then he picked up the Mafia Boss, bringing him up at the level of his eyes, and said, "Lemme give you a piece of advice, pal. Unless you wanna be picking the teeth of your future new body up off the floor, you'll leave us alone. Because mark my words on this, vengeance is an _idiot's game_." The jarred crime lord gulped upon hearing the boy's threats. Arthur then laid the Mafia Boss down on the side, causing him to roll on the floor.

"Hey! Put me back up this instant!" the Mafia Boss ordered in an irritated tone. Arthur ignored him and began to walk away, followed by Hat Kid. "Damn you, boy!" he cursed angrily.

Arthur turned his head to look at him and said, "Hey, I'm already damned," with a smirk. Then Hat Kid blew a raspberry at the Mafia Boss to taunt him.

With that, the two children walked out of the machine room, leaving an enraged Mafia Boss rolling on the floor and yelling out swear words.

* * *

For the next hour, the duo were able to have some peace in the main room. Arthur continued his drawing, and this time he let Hat Kid watch him do that without feeling uncomfortable or telling her off. This proved furthermore that Arthur now trusted the small girl and was comfortable with her presence, which made her happy.

**"Alert. Time Rifts detected."**

Upon hearing the alarm, Arthur sighed and said, "Well, there goes our day off. Better get this over with," before setting his drawing aside and getting up.

The duo made their way to the main computer, and Hat Kid began searching informations on the time rifts in question. The computer sent the following informations for the first time rift.

_Rift Status: Purple._

_Localization: Dead Bird Studio._

The screen showed a picture of the rift. It appeared to be at the top of a building, probably the saloon-type one on the Conductor's side of the studio. Since it was a purple time rift, this one was top priority.

Now, the informations on the second rift.

_Rift Status: Blue._

_Localization: The Owl Express_

Wait, this one was on the Conductor's train! The two children hoped neither the movie director or the Express Owls would find it before they fixed it. The picture showed that it was in between a bench and a bar. The duo remembered seeing this place inside the cafeteria.

"Okay, we should split up like last time. Which one do you want to do? The purple one or the blue one?" Arthur asked Hat Kid. The small girl pointed at the picture of the purple time rift on the screen to show him her choice. "Alright, I'll take care of the blue time rift then. I just hope the Conductor hasn't found it yet. We don't want him or anyone else to know about the Time Pieces," he said. Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

Without wasting any more time, the two children headed for the hatch and jumped off to the planet. They landed in the parking lot of Dead Bird Studio. Arthur spotted the Owl Express parked on the rails, next to the parking lot. From a distance, he could see the Conductor, along with a few Express Owls. He seemed to be barking orders at the owls who were trying to load some crates inside the train.

"Looks like the Conductor is loading some stuff up on his train... Must be for tomorrow's recording. I'll think of an excuse to get on his train and find the rift before they do. You go deal with yours in the studio," Arthur said to Hat Kid. The small girl nodded, before heading inside the studio.

Arthur made his way towards the Owl Express. When he got closer, he could already hear the Conductor yelling at the owls in frustration.

"Hurry the peck up, owls! I need this stuff ready on me train before tonight! And _**DON'T**_ DROP THEM! It's veryyyy _unstable_," the strange owl shouted impatiently. 'Very unstable'? Arthur wondered what was in these crates that could make them so unstable, but he had no time to think about it. His focus was the time rift, and nothing else. Hopefully, the Conductor will let him go on his train just enough time to fix it.

"Hey Conductor," Arthur said as he approached him. The Conductor jumped in surprise and turned around frantically.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT, PECK NE-" the strange owl began yelling, but he stopped when he saw it was Arthur. The young boy took a step back, startled by his sudden outburst. "Oh, uh, l-laddie? W-what are yer doing here? I'm, err, a tad busy right now," the Conductor said, sounding very nervous.

"Uhh, s-sorry Conductor. D-didn't mean to startle you," Arthur stuttered in fear. His outbursts reminded him of his father whenever the latter was mad at him.

"Oh, uh... i-it's fine, lad. Sorry for yelling at ye, I'm just a little on edge with DJ Peck Neck havin' the most points and all. Yer know how it is, right?" the Conductor explained in a nervous tone.

"Uhh, sure..." Arthur simply said as he slowly began to calm down.

"Ahem, anyway... what brings you here, laddy? We're only recording tomorrow," the Conductor asked.

"I just wanted to ask if I could get on your train for a few minutes. I, uh, forgot something that belongs to me in the cafeteria area and I need it back," Arthur said, hoping the strange owl would buy his lie. The Conductor seemed to grow nervous at the boy's request.

"I, errr... don't think now is the right time for this, b-but I can ask one of the Express Owls to go fetch the thing you lost if yer want," the strange owl offered with a nervous chuckle. Arthur shook his head, not wanting any of the owls to check the cafeteria and discover the time rift.

"Don't trouble yourself, Conductor. I'll be in and out within a few minutes. It won't take long," Arthur insisted.

The Conductor sighed and said, "Alright, lad. Just... don't touch any of the boxes inside, okay? They're stuff for my next movie, it's very hard to come by and extremely... fragile," in a nervous tone.

"Don't worry, I won't," the twelve-year-old boy reassured him. The Conductor let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, laddy. And please, be quick about it! I don't have time to wait around all day for yer to find whatever ye've lost," the strange owl said.

"Thanks," Arthur said.

The young boy then entered the train through the caboose. As he made his way through the train, he could spot different boxes that the Express Owls loaded on board. Although, what caught his attention were the words 'DANGER!' and 'EXPLOSIVES' on them. Did the Conductor... load explosives on his own train?

Arthur shook his head. Nah, he wouldn't. As far as he knew, the Conductor loved his train. He wouldn't risk putting something on that could cause its destruction. They must be boxes that will be used for decorative purposes in the Conductor's next movie. Well, he hoped so at least... However, he had no time to think about it right now.

Once inside the cafeteria, Arthur was able to find the blue time rift. Just like the one from Mafia Town, he touched it and entered the rift. When he did, he found himself back into a new set of white and blue-jeweled platforms. Spotting the faint light of the repaired Time Piece in the distance, Arthur began to make his way towards it, jumping from platforms to platforms.

In this rift, he had to solve a new system with pressure panels that he had to step on to unlock the path to the rest of the platforms. He also came across an Express Owl who seemed frightened. When the latter spotted Arthur, he panicked – believing him to be a threat – and began throwing clipboards at the young boy. Arthur asked him to calm down and stop his attacks, but the owl didn't listen and kept attacking him. The boy had no choice but to knock the Express Owl out with his crowbar to proceed. He also had to avoid some sleeping raccoons on his way.

This time rift required some wall climbing and diving, but it was a good training for Arthur. It goes without saying that he was starting to get more skilled and agile at platforming. Eventually, he managed to get to the top and he grabbed the Time Piece.

After a few seconds, he was back in the cafeteria of the Owl Express, and of course, the time rift was no longer here. He put the Time Piece in his pocket, then he exited the train.

"Ah, there you are, laddy. Didja find what yer were looking for?" the Conductor asked him.

"Yup," Arthur answered positively.

"Good. Yer didn't touch any of the boxes, did yer?" the strange owl asked nervously.

"No...?" Arthur said as he raised an eyebrow, noticing the movie director's nervousness.

"Oh, good!" the Conductor said, sounding relieved.

"You feeling alright, Conductor?" Arthur asked as he crossed his arms and eyed the movie director suspiciously.

"Who? Me? I'm perfectly fine! Why do ye ask?" the strange owl asked, getting defensive. Arthur didn't buy it, but he figured it was best to not push the subject at this point. The last thing he wanted was for the Conductor to throw a tantrum because he was being too nosy.

The twelve-year-old boy sighed and said, "Nevermind..." The Conductor seemed relieved to hear that. Though he did feel a little bad for talking a bit harshly to the boy. Normally, the strange owl didn't care about the way he talked to people, but it was different with Arthur. He was a kid who shared his love of western movies. It was rare to meet someone who had the same interests as him nowadays.

"Ahem... Anyway, have yer watched the movie I gave you?" the Conductor asked, trying to change the topic.

"Half of it, I'm loving it so far. I'll watch the rest when I can," Arthur answered.

"Glad to hear it, lad! I hope you and I can talk about more western stories tomorrow after the recording," the strange owl said with a smile.

"With pleasure, Conductor," Arthur said with a smile. "Anyway, I'll let you finish your work. See you tomorrow."

"Alright, laddie. See yer!" the Conductor said. After Arthur left, the strange owl turned around and found the Express Owls staring at him with surprised looks. It was strange for them to see the Conductor act so nice, when he usually speaks harshly and angrily to almost everyone he meets. "Hey! Who said yer could stop working! Get these boxes loaded up, ye buncha peck necks!" the Conductor ordered angrily as he stomped his foot on the ground. The Express Owls immediately got back to work after hearing the movie director's angry tone.

As he watched the owls working, the Conductor smiled a little and thought, _'Can't wait for tomorrow, laddy.'_

* * *

After entering the building, Hat Kid walked up to the receptionist. The tall owl was surprised to see the young girl here since there was no recording session today. Hat Kid told him that she forgot something inside the studio and asked to go in to get it back. The receptionist agreed to let her in, but he specifically asked her to not touch or break anything inside.

Hat Kid headed through the double doors leading inside the Conductor's side of the studio. Then she made her way to the saloon-type building, passing by a few Express Owls who seemed to be cautiously carrying some heavy crates out of the studio. Hat Kid was curious about their content, but she knew she didn't have time for it. She climbed up the building and spotted the purple time rift at the same place where she found one of the yarns before. She touched it and entered the rift.

She landed on a towering pile of supply crates, floating in the mildly dark gray abyss. She found a picture hidden behind a small cutout of the planet itself, and put it in her pocket. After that she jumped in the hatch to proceed to the next level.

Throughout the rest of the levels, she collected all the rift pons and the pictures she found on her way, before proceeding through the hatches. There were a few differences in each levels, such as the obstacles and the environment – which were mostly piles of supply crates and floating parts of the studio she didn't recognize.

The main difference was in the fourth level where she had to sneak past patrolling Express Owls in the area. Indeed, she chose not to fight them out of respect for the Conductor and the rest of the Express Owls. She also spotted a strange green translucent platform giving access to one of the rift pons. However, when she tried to stand on it, she fazed right through. Thankfully, her Hover Badge allowed her to automatically open her umbrella before impact. Since she couldn't set foot on the platform, she decided to leave the rift pon be and proceed to the last level.

She was now in a replica of the movie theatre from Dead Bird Studio, except a little darker. She climbed up between two walls to reach the last picture that was on a platform above. She then climbed down, and spotted the heart of the Time Rift in the next room accessible through a gap in the glass wall. After a few whacks of the girl's umbrella, the heart was destroyed and a Time Piece appeared in its place. The purple-hatted girl grabbed it, before being sent back to the real world.

When her vision cleared, the time rift was closed and she had the Time Piece in her possession, as well as a book like the one she obtained in Mafia Town. This one, however, was different. The title for the book was 'Conductor (and) Grooves' Big Dreams'. Sweet! Maybe she will be able to learn more about the two movie directors and possibly the reason behind their rivalry. But first, she had to get back to Arthur to show him the book as well.

Hat Kid walked out of the studio, making sure to say goodbye to the receptionist on her way. She joined Arthur who was waiting in the parking lot.

"Hey, I reckon you were able to seal the rift?" Arthur asked. Hat Kid nodded with a smile. "Good, I was able to fix mine too," he said, showing her the Time Piece he found.

Noticing the book in the girl's hands, he said, "I see you've got a book as well. Let me guess, it's about the Conductor and DJ Grooves?" Hat Kid nodded. "Alright. Let's see about it then," Arthur said, walking closer to the small girl to read the book with her.

Hat Kid opened the book. The first page showed two separate houses in separate places. The one on the left was a wooden house in the middle of the desert, and the one on the right was a modern, space-like house on the moon.

The next page showed two bird children, and not just any children. It was the Conductor and DJ Grooves as kids on their split sides of the page, watching TV.

The third page revealed that the both of them, despite being at different places, were watching the same thing on TV at the exact same time: the Annual Bird Movie Awards. On the screen, a puffin movie director was holding a trophy in his hand with a proud smile.

The fourth page showed the two bird kids having the exact same dream: winning a movie award of their own.

The fifth page had the words 'Years later...' on it. It showed Dead Bird Studio with a sign saying 'For Rent.' The Conductor and DJ Grooves, now grown up, were both approaching the rented building from their respective sides and each of them had a key of the studio.

The sixth page showed the moment where the Conductor and DJ Grooves finally meet. The two of them were in front of the doors, and they both had shocked looks upon realizing that the other had a key of the studio as well.

The seventh page showed the two movie directors arguing, probably on who should properly own the studio, what they should film, etc. This seemed to mark the beginning of the rivalry between the Conductor and DJ Grooves.

Finally, the last page showed the studio split into two worlds. The left side as the Conductor's set for his western-themed movies and the right side being DJ Grooves' set for sci-fi themed movies; their rivalry living on to this day.

"Seems like these two hated each other the moment they met," Arthur remarked, as Hat Kid closed the book. He then crossed his arms in thought and sighed. "You know... It kinda reminds me of you and I when we first met. We didn't really have the best of introductions either..." he said. Hat Kid nodded, recalling the time when she and Arthur were enemies before becoming friends.

"But there's a difference between us and them: we were able to solve our conflict and move on. The Conductor and DJ Grooves on the other hand... they're still at it after all them years. I feel like they're taking their rivalry too seriously... I'm worried that at some point one of them is gonna take things too far, and someone will get hurt in the process," Arthur explained in a sad tone.

Hat Kid nodded sadly in agreement. She wished she could do something to solve the conflict between the Conductor and DJ Grooves, but she knew there wasn't much she could do about it. Indeed, the situation between the two movie directors was very complicated and it wasn't something that could be solved in a single day. Besides, her priority was to get her Time Pieces back, so she had to stay focused on that. Hopefully, they will be able to find a common ground someday.

Arthur noticed that the sun was setting and said, "Let's get back to the spaceship and try to get some shut-eye. I get the feeling tomorrow is gonna be a long day. Also, the Mafia Boss better not try to annoy me tonight or else I swear I'll throw him out of the darn spaceship myself." Hat Kid giggled at the last statement.

With that said, the two children flied up to the spaceship to get some rest. Unknown to them, a certain red-hooded figure was watching them leave from a distance.

"So they're movie stars now? Pffft, what a joke! In that case, I guess I could have a chat with one of the directors tomorrow to spice things up a little," the figure said to themselves with an evil smirk.

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! New chapter, and oh boy! A lot of things has happened in this one. Arthur finally accepted Hat Kid as a friend, and soon he will be able to open up to her about some of the things that happened in his past. But for now, he's not ready to tell his story yet. It will happen in future chapters.**

**I've also set a little transition to 'Train Rush' in this chapter, and I think you can already tell what is in those boxes that the Express Owls are loading up on the Conductor's train. I hope you guys are ready for the next chapter! ;)**

**Anyway, time to answer some reviews.**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** I agree. The story is making some good progress so far. ^^;**

_**To Rub37:**_** Thanks! And no, I'm not planning to add the 'bad ending' in my story, since it's not part of the plot I imagined.**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Indeed, that's the effect I wanted to create regarding both movie directors' interactions with Arthur. And yeah, Subcon Forest will really be something. ;) And yeah, I remember that song. I don't know if I'll add it in my story though. We'll see.**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** Thank you! I hope you're ready for the next two sets of movies that will come up. A lot of action will happen. ;)**

_**To Korrenthereaper:**_** Well, I haven't revealed which director will be the antagonist yet. It could be the Conductor or it could be DJ Grooves. The answer will be in one of the upcoming chapters. But if you want to see some stories where the Conductor is the good guy, there's ****_Megacharge_ by Mr. Mega1423 on Fanfiction, and there's _Picture (Im)Perfect_ by Krekka01 on Archive Of Our Own.**

**Alright, that's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The next day in the morning, the two children were getting themselves ready for the next recording session with the Conductor. They currently had no idea what the strange owl had in store for his next movie, but they will soon find out. Hopefully, not something too intense.

While Arthur was getting himself ready, Hat Kid had decided to go in her bedroom. She had something she wanted to do quickly before leaving. She walked up the ramp, going just above her pillow fortress. She then put her Ice Hat on, and jumped above a specific area in her pillow fortress, before turning herself into an ice statue.

The small girl's weight as a statue made her go right through the huge pile of pillows, and she landed into a secret area that only she knew about. It was a small room that contained a desk with a book, a candle providing light, a pen and ink resting on it. There was also a bookshelf on the left and a big stuffed panda on the right.

Switching back to her regular hat, Hat Kid sat on the chair in front of the desk. She then opened the book, smiling as she did. It wasn't just any book, it was her _diary_. Whenever she had some free time, she would always write about the moments she had during her adventures and her missions. It allowed her to keep them as memories and express her thoughts on them.

Right now, the purple-hatted girl had an entry she wanted to write. She picked up the pen and began to write on the empty page following the last entry, in an unknown language that came from her home planet.

_Dear diary,_

_I did it! Yesterday, Arthur finally accepted to be my friend! I admit it took longer than I expected, but I did it. I'm glad to have a friend to help me on my journey now. It felt so lonely on my ship before he came around._

_Arthur is decent company and he's so funny! Even if he tends to be a big jerk sometimes, but I guess that's just how he is. Although, I admit... I'm worried about him. Most of the time, I see him look so sad and tired. He doesn't even want to talk about his home or his family. And sometimes when he's scared, he starts breathing fast and heavily... like he had just run a marathon._

_I feel like something bad happened to him before. He seems to have something that people call... what is it again? 'Depression'? From what they say, it's like when you feel sad, but wayyyy worse. Apparently, you can't feel joy or happiness at all, no matter how hard you try. It doesn't sound fun... I don't know how someone can live without ever feeling happy._

_I really want to help him feel better. It makes me sad to see him look so depressed... but he doesn't want to talk about it and he just keeps saying he's 'fine'. He's NOT fine! I can just see it! I'm not dumb! But maybe it's not so easy for him to tell what happened in his past. Maybe he never had someone to talk to about his problems before... or maybe nobody cared, which is mean!_

_But I won't give up! I'll try to be patient with him. Maybe someday he'll open up to me, and I'll be able to help him the right way. For now, I gotta focus on finding my Time Pieces so I can go home. That reminds me, I haven't seen Mustache Girl since Mafia Town. I wonder where she could be... Well, it's not important, as long as she stays away from my spaceship and my Time Pieces._

_Speaking of which, I've gotten 14 of them back so far. There's still a lot more to go, but it's still progress! With them, I was able to unlock the access to the basement, and now I can use the washing machines again! No more washing clothes in the sink, thank goodness! I still can't use the dryer though. That's a bummer, but eh, it's good enough... I guess._

_Also, there's this... weird... purple... wall thingy blocking the access to my lab. It wasn't there before. And I can't even break it, it's annoying! Maybe I need a different kind of hat for it? I'll have to look into it later._

_Anyway, Arthur and I will be going on the Conductor's train to record another movie today. I wonder what it will be... I hope there'll be more action in this one! 'Murder on the Owl Express' was fun, but eh... I'm sure that weird owl could do better-_

"Hat Kid? Where are you? We need to go now!" Arthur's faint voice could be heard from above.

_Uh oh! Arthur is calling me, I gotta go now! See you next time, future me!_

_\- Hat Kid_

The purple-hatted girl quickly closed her diary and put her pen back in the ink. She then jumped up and swam through the pillows back to the surface. Her head poked out of the pile of pillows and she spotted Arthur looking around the room for her. The twelve-year-old boy eventually noticed her.

"What are you doing in there, kid?" Arthur asked with a puzzled expression.

"Playing!" Hat Kid lied with a cheerful giggle, not wanting him to know about her secret room. Arthur shook his head.

"Well, you really haven't really chosen the right time for it. Let me remind you that we have to be on the Owl Express in a five minutes, so come on, let's go," the young boy said seriously. Hat Kid nodded and swam her way out of the pillows.

The duo walked out of the bedroom and made their way to the hatch. They opened it, then jumped off. As they neared the desert area on the planet, they saw that the Conductor's train was already moving. They aimed for it, landing just outside on the caboose. The Conductor was here, leaning against the barrier with his walkie-talkie in hand. Judging by his expression, he seemed to be really excited about the next recording.

"Ah, there you are... and right on time! Great! Go on in. We're getting ready to shoot the BIGGEST action movie in bird history!" the Conductor said in an excited tone. "The movie is gonna be **THE BOMB!** _**GWAHAHAHAHA!**_" he added as he laughed manically.

Arthur and Hat Kid formed confused and worried looks on their faces. Something in his tone and what he said gave them a bad feeling. What did he mean by _'the bomb'_? The Conductor noticed the children's expressions, so he cleared his throat and fixed the collar of his train conductor's coat.

"... And I mean bomb in a good way, peck necks!" the strange owl corrected himself, not wanting to scare the duo. However, the two children continued to stare at him in wonder. Soon, the Conductor found himself losing patience. "Well, what are yer waitin' for?! Go in there already!" he shouted angrily as he pointed at the door.

Arthur and Hat Kid both took a step back, taken aback by his tone. Great... Looks like the Conductor was back to his usual, angry self. Oh well, it was probably just the excitement of the movie getting to his head. Hopefully, he will cool off once they do as they're told.

The duo entered the caboose, and they could see a few Express Owls talking to each others inside. As they walked by them, they could hear some conversations that caught their attention.

"What are we filming today? There's no stops on the schedule..."

"Did we load more explosives than usual yesterday?"

Arthur and Hat Kid grew concerned upon hearing these questions. No stops on the schedule and explosives on the train? That didn't sound good...

"Are there really explosives on this train? I saw them crates yesterday while looking for the time rift, but I thought they were just for looks. I don't like this..." Arthur stated with an anxious frown. Hat Kid also began to feel the same. The Conductor wouldn't try to blow his own train with all the passengers on it, would he...? Hopefully not. That would just be plain irresponsible for a movie director.

As they arrived at the end of the wagon, they noticed that the door was blocked off by an iron gate. They looked up, and spotted some sort of hook flying in the air with a rotor and a red cross on a LED screen.

"I'm guessing this is the switch to open the gate," Arthur said, putting his hand on his chin. He then tried to reach it with a jump, but he couldn't since it was too high up. "I can't reach it from here, and I don't see anything we can stand on either..." he said as he looked around the room for anything to stand on, without success.

**"Greetings, young ones."**

The two children jolted a little, but they quickly calmed down when they recognized the voice. The Badge Seller... Arthur chuckled, unsurprised, and turned around to look at the glitchy vendor.

"I was starting to wonder when you'd show up. Maybe you should sell us a badge with a speaker that says 'Hey, I'm the Badge Seller! I will appear behind you in a few seconds to show you more badges I have,'" the young boy said jokingly. The Badge Seller chuckled in response.

**"Perhaps I should take this item into consideration then,"** they answered jokingly, earning a chuckle from the two children.

"So what brings you on this train, Badge Seller?" Arthur asked curiously.

**"As a traveler who sells their merchandise around the world, I need to use a public transport to move around. The Owl Express allows me to get to different places in the desert,"** the Badge Seller answered.

"And, uh, don't people mind the fact that your body is... you know?" Arthur asked a bit uncomfortably, motioning to the vendor's body that was constantly twitching. As they were on the subject, a nearby Express Owl was nervously staring at the Badge Seller. The latter turned their head to look at him, and the owl immediately looked away to avoid eye contact.

**"People are a bit wary because of it. Unfortunately, my body has been to places that have left a... permanent mark; thus explaining my twitchy behavior,"** the Badge Seller said in a sad tone. Arthur and Hat Kid gave each other a sad look, feeling bad for the glitchy vendor. **"But enough about me. I may have something in sale that you will need for this movie,"** they said as they pulled out two light-blue-colored badges with a grapple drawn on it.

**"It is called the Hookshot Badge. This badge will equip your weapons with a grapple feature. With it, you will be able to swing on any hooks you come across and get to places that would be unreachable with even a double jump. I sell it for 150 pons,"** the Badge Seller explained.

"300 pons for two badges then... Okay. Hopefully, we still have enough," Arthur said as he and Hat Kid both checked their pockets for pons. Thankfully, they had enough and they each pulled out a bag of 100 pons and another one of 50 pons. They gave the bags to the Badge Seller, and the latter gave them the badges.

Hat Kid switched her Item Magnet Badge with the new Hookshot Badge on her top hat, while Arthur placed his own on his cowboy hat by using a pin that the Badge Seller gave him free of charge. As they pulled out their respective weapons, they noticed a particular change. The hook of Arthur's crowbar now looked detachable, and Hat Kid's umbrella had a golden-colored grapple at the top of it. A button had also appeared on both weapons.

**"Just aim your weapons at an hook or any surfaces it can grab onto, and you'll be able to swing on them,"** The Badge Seller explained with a smile.

Out of curiosity, Hat Kid pressed the button on her umbrella. The grapple suddenly shot out from the weapon with a chain strapped to it. It flew just above an Express Owl's head and right through his hat, pinning it against the wall. The owl formed a confused expression and comically put his hand on the top of his head to notice that his hat was missing.

"Oops!" Hat Kid said with a sheepish smile. She then pressed the button again to call her grapple back. With the speed, the hat fell off the grapple and landed back on the Express Owl's head, making the latter even more confused.

"Let's... try to avoid skewering someone with it," Arthur said nervously, making Hat Kid rub the back of her head sheepishly. "Anyway, thanks Badge Se-" The boy interrupted his sentence when he saw that the Badge Seller was no longer here.

"Annnd there he goes again..." he said with a sigh. He looked back up at the hook switch floating above them and said, "Let's try to activate the switch with the grapple." Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

The small girl aimed her umbrella at the flying hook and pressed the button. The grapple shot out from the umbrella and latched on the hook, lifting Hat Kid up in the air as she held onto the handle. Her weight brought the hook down, activating the switch and forming a green checkmark on the LED screen. After that, the gate blocking off the door lowered. Now they could go into the next wagon.

"That did the trick," Arthur said with a smile. However, it dropped when the Conductor's face suddenly appeared on the TV screen next to the door, which catched the attention of all Express Owls inside the train car. The Conductor seemed troubled, which worried the two children.

_"Alright kids, listen up. I have some bad news!"_ the strange owl said in a serious tone, his voice being heard through the speaker above the screen. _"That lever you just pulled... it starts the train's self-destruct sequence, and that ain't no joke. It'll blow up!"_ Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes widened in horror.

"IT'LL _**WHAT?!**_" Arthur shouted in shock, hoping it was just a bad joke despite what the movie director just said.

_"It'll blow up and for **REAL**!"_ the Conductor repeated firmly. The serious and panicked tone in his voice clearly showed that he wasn't kidding. The Express Owls in the wagon began to panic after hearing this. None of them signed up for that!

The two children couldn't believe what they were hearing. The Conductor literally placed a _bomb_ on his own train and was putting the life of every single person on it in danger for the sake of his movie?!

Arthur placed both hands on his head in horror and angrily said, "You fool! You GODDAMN **FOOL**! Why would you do something like that?!"

_"Because I need a movie with some REAL intense action, so that's what we're gonna do! The train's gonna blow in a few minutes!"_ the strange owl explained.

"I can't believe this..." Arthur muttered angrily as he put his hands on his face. Seriously, who in their right mind would put a real bomb on their own public transport just to record a stupid action movie?

_"But you and the lass can save us all! Get to the switch at the front of the train to turn it off!"_ the Conductor said. He then angrily shouted, _"AND YER BETTER MAKE IT IN TIME, ALRIGHT? I don't care about the owls or yerselves, but you don't **DARE** blow up me train for real! It's my baby!"_

Upon hearing the last statement, the two children gasped in shock. The Conductor didn't care about them at all? Out of the two, Arthur was the one who was mostly hurt by the strange owl's words. He felt... betrayed... once more. His eyes narrowed and he gritted his teeth in pure anger. Who was he kidding? Of course the Conductor didn't care about them. He only cared about himself and his damn success! All these smooth talks they had before was only to gain the boy's trust and use him for his movies... and to think he started to believe that the Conductor was not so bad. Turns out he was wrong all along...

_"The cameras are gonna be rollin' kids, you hurry now! Go! Over and out!"_ the Conductor ordered. After he was done talking, the TV screen went off, ending the conversation.

Arthur let out a depressed sigh and muttered, "How much of a fool can I be?". Hat Kid gave him a sympathetic look. She knew that he felt betrayed after this, especially since he and the Conductor bonded after the premiere of the first movie. Suddenly, a feminine and robotic voice was heard throughout the whole train.

**"2 minutes and 0 seconds until self-destruct. Oh no."**

Everyone in the train started panicking after hearing the announcement. The Express Owls began cowering, screaming, and running in circles. Some even comically bumped into each others by accident, and others sat down on the floor and rocked back and forth in fear.

"Holy crap! He's really serious about it! We need to stop that bomb at once!" Arthur said with a panicked look. Hat Kid quickly nodded in agreement.

Without wasting any more time, the two children ran towards the door and went through it. Their jaws dropped when they entered the next train car. Unlike last time, there was no library or cafeteria here. Instead, there were gaps filled with acid and cannons shooting egg-shaped explosives right above them. Did the Conductor change the train cars before the recording?

"Is this some kind of sick joke?!" Arthur shouted in frustration. His anxiety was not going to like this once again, but he had no time to dwell on that. He and Hat Kid had to stop this bomb before the train blows up.

Hat Kid switched her top hat with her Sprint Hat to run faster, while Arthur did his best to run as fast as her. Adjusting their timing, the two children jumped across the acid-filled gaps, avoiding the cannon balls as they did. They ran to the end of the room – encountering a few panicked Express Owls who told them to run – and stepped on a pressure panel to unlock the door to the next wagon.

This train car was worse. The duo had to jump on top of crates and unstable platforms above a very large acid pool – all of that while avoiding cannon balls as well. Thankfully, they managed to do so unscathed and activated three pressure pannels to open the door to the next train car.

When they entered this wagon, they saw a group of owl musicians who were playing intense music to fit the situation. Arthur and Hat Kid were unamused but they had no time to dwell on this. Suddenly, as they were running, some saw blades appeared and cut the car in half, creating gaps to jump across. The two children had to jump on floating balloons and stand on handcars to avoid falling off the train.

"What the hell was the Conductor thinking by doing all of this?!" Arthur shouted, trying to keep his balance on one of the moving handcars. It was a miracle he hadn't started hyperventilating yet.

The duo jumped on the last handcar and spotted a springboard on the other side of the gap. However, it was too far away to reach with a jump. They looked up and saw multiple flying hooks above the large gap. Remembering their newfound ability, they both pulled out their weapons.

"This better work!" Arthur said as he aimed his crowbar at the hook.

He pressed the button and the hook of the crowbar detached itself and was shot towards the flying hook, latching onto it. The young boy then swung forward, screaming as he did. Pressing the button to call his hook back, he quickly aimed his crowbar at the next flying hook while he was mid-air and pressed the button again to grapple onto it. He repeated the same process until he reached the other side. Hat Kid did the same thing and managed to land on the surface too. The duo jumped on the springboard, and they were shot up through the chimney and onto the roof of the train.

**"1 minute and 30 seconds until self-destruct. Better hurry."**

Arthur was the first one to land on the roof, then followed by Hat Kid who accidentally landed on him, much to the boy's annoyance. The small girl quickly got off of him and helped him up. Then they watched in horror as the two next cars detached from the train itself and flew off the tracks, leaving a huge gap between the wagon they were on and the rest of the train.

"Peck! Well, I guess the Conductor got all the action he wanted!" Arthur remarked with a shocked expression. Hat Kid nodded with a horrified look. The duo hoped that nobody was inside these wagons when they derailed.

Shaking their heads, they continued running. They spotted two hot-air ballons with hooks strapped under them and used their hookshot ability to get across. Jumping on some platforms and swinging through a giant flamed hoop, they were able to land on the next train car.

**"1 minute and 0 seconds until self-destruct. We're doomed."**

"You don't say!" Arthur hissed sarcastically after hearing the last statement of the announcer.

The duo then had to step on a large set of pressure panels floating in the air to proceed. It caused the next car to detach itself from the train and slow down, allowing the duo to stand on it.

As he continued running, Arthur was wondering how he still hadn't started hyperventilating yet. But most of all... how was he still **alive** right now?! He was either extremely lucky or he was starting to get used to these intense situations. Then again, maybe adrenaline was playing a role in all of this. But now wasn't the time to jinx himself, he had to reach the locomotive and diffuse this bomb!

After reaching the end of the car, the two children used three flying hooks to swing forward and right into the window of the next train car, causing shards of glass to fly everywhere. Thankfully, neither Arthur or Hat Kid were injured in the process. Inside the train car, more hazards awated the children. A large gap filled with lava was covering the whole ground, only some platforms provided access across it. However, some cannons were shooting exploding cakes on them, which made the task even more difficult.

When they were halfway through, they had to use their Hookshot Badge to swing above a fire wall. Arthur decided to go first. However, his lucky streak ended at this very moment. In his haste, he forgot to lift his legs up, and as a result one of them went right through the fire. The young boy screamed in pain and he fell on the next platform. Although he was safe on the surface, his leg was now in extreme pain because of the burn.

Hat Kid gasped in horror after seeing Arthur get injured. She swung above the fire wall, making sure to lift her legs up to avoid getting burned as well, and she landed on the platform safely. She quickly ran up to her injured friend and crouched at his side to check on him.

"Aahhh! My leg! **God **_**DAMMIT!**_" Arthur yelled as he clutched his injured leg, tears falling from his eyes. Hat Kid was in a panicked state right now. She tried to help him up, but the young boy shook his head.

"No, Hat Kid! You gotta stop that bomb before it's too late!" Arthur said as he gave her a panicked look.

"**NO!**" Hat Kid said firmly. She refused to leave him like this.

"I can't run like this, kid. You have to go on without me! I-I'll be fine! You just go!" Arthur insisted. Hat Kid shook her head. She can't just leave him here! She can carry him! She can- "Hat Kid. If the bomb explodes, everyone on this train will peckin' _**die**_! You **HAVE** to stop that from happening!" the twelve-year-old boy said desperately.

Hat Kid sighed sadly. Although she didn't want to just leave him, she knew he was right. The life of every passenger on the Owl Express was at stake. She couldn't fail them now.

**"30 seconds until self-destruct."**

"Go! **_NOW!_**" Arthur ordered firmly. With a determined nod, Hat Kid quickly got up and started running again to get through the last obstacles and stop the bomb.

Meanwhile, inside the locomotive, the Conductor was anxiously waiting next to a few cameras, with a timer in his hand. A button to turn off the bomb was in the middle of the room. The strange owl was starting to panic. His timer showed that 20 seconds remained before the explosion.

"Hurry up, kids..." he whispered in panic. He couldn't lose his train, it meant everything to him. Without it, he was not the Conductor anymore... he would just be nothing. A poor, pathetic excuse of a bird without a train. He really hoped that the children would make it in time.

Time was ticking... and soon, there was only ten seconds left.

**"10 seconds until self-destruct."**

_''What the peck are they doing?!'_ the Conductor thought in frustration as sweat began to drip from his forehead.

**"9."**

_'Come on, come on!'_ he thought as panic gained him even more.

**"8."**

_'No... no... **NO!**' _he thought as he put both of his hands on his head, feeling like ripping off his own feathers in panic and frustration.

**"7."**

The door of the locomotive suddenly opened.

**"6."**

Hat Kid was standing at the door as she frantically looked around the room for the switch.

**"5."**

She spotted the button on the floor.

**"4."**

She quickly ran forward.

**"3."**

She lunged at the button.

**"2."**

Hat Kid's scream was heard throughout the whole room while she was mid-air.

**"1."**

She landed right on the button and a click was heard. A long silence occured, before the announcer's voice was heard again.

**"Self-destruct sequence interrupted. Hooray."**

The Conductor let out a huge sigh of relief, happy that the young alien was able to stop the bomb just in time. He then grinned widely.

"You made it! And in time!" he said happily, completely ignoring the breathing mess that Hat Kid was at the moment. He checked the footage on the cameras and his grin grew wider. "Oh ho ho hooo... look at all this raw footage we got! Look at how ye and the lad are runnin' for dear life! _**EH HE HE!**_" he added as he laughed manically.

Hat Kid slowly got up to her feet. Every part of her body was trembling like crazy from all the stress of the intense situation she just went through. She gave the Conductor a scared look as she continued to breathe heavily.

"What? We did it in the name of cinematography! ... and to beat that no-good DJ Grooves! I bet he won't be able to make HALF the movie we just made!" the strange owl said smugly, like it was no big deal. He pulled out a Time Piece and said, "Alright here, take one of those thingamajigs you like. You deserve it!"

He tossed the hourglass at Hat Kid and she quickly caught it. Normally, she would have been happy to receive a Time Piece back, but after what she just went through... she was frightened. Agitated. Her whole life had played in her vision when she threw herself on the button before. It was scary and unnerving.

The door of the locomotive opened again and someone else walked, or rather... _limped_ inside the room. It was Arthur, he had a hole in his jeans where he had been burned. Looking around the room, he spotted the Conductor. He could feel his anger boil in his blood and he gritted his teeth. He was more than angry... he was _**ENRAGED**_!

"Ah, there you are, laddy! I was just sayin' to yer friend-" the Conductor's sentence was cut off when Arthur angrily limped his way towards him and stopped right in front of him.

"What the hell were you **THINKING**?!" Arthur shouted angrily, startling the Conductor.

"W-wha...?" the strange owl stuttered, taken aback by the boy's tone.

"Do you have **any** idea what you just did?! You nearly killed off _**EVERYONE**_ on this train, you goddamn numbskull!" the young boy continued, his anger incessant. While he was ranting, numerous Express Owls entered the locomotive and watched the scene unfold before them.

"B-b-but laddie, w-we did it fer the movie! I... I knew you and the lass could do it, or else I wouldn't have done all of this!" the Conductor said to justify his actions. This argument only made Arthur even more furious.

"And what if we _didn't_, Conductor? What if we didn't make it in time?!" the twelve-year-old boy yelled in anger. He then started counting with his fingers as he said, "Me. Hat Kid. The Express Owls. You. **DEAD! _ALL DEAD!_**"

The Conductor flinched at the boy's tone. He never saw him look so mad before. Taking a look behind Arthur for any kind of support, he found none. Hat Kid was giving him a death stare and the Express Owls were either glaring at him or had terrified looks.

"Have you ever considered that case of scenario, Conductor? Have you?" Arthur asked, looking at him dead serious.

The strange owl opened his mouth to say something, but he stopped himself. Arthur was right: he never considered the alternative outcome. He had just... set everything up and hoped they would make it. He looked down in shame and that's where he saw Arthur's injury on his leg. His eyes widened in shock. However, before he could bring that up, Arthur shook his head in disappointment and spoke again.

"In the end, it's like you said... you don't care about the others. Winning that stupid award at all costs, that's all that matters to you," the young boy said bitterly.

"B-but..." the Conductor stammered, unable to find the words to speak. He had never been so speechless in his entire life. Somehow, Arthur's anger managed to have that effect on him.

"To hell with it... We're done with you," Arthur said firmly, before looking at Hat Kid. "Come on, Hat Kid. Let's get out of here," he said before he started limping away.

"W-wait, lad! Wha... what about our talk about western movies?" the Conductor asked in a pleading tone, hoping to convince the boy to stay. Arthur turned his head around to glare at him.

"How about you go talk about that with your owl actors instead. You've got plenty of them after all," he said coldly.

After that, Arthur limped towards the door and Hat Kid rushed to his side to support him. The two children exited the locomotive, followed by the Express Owls. Soon, the Conductor was left all alone in the room.

* * *

The Conductor was sitting behind his desk, his head propped in his hands and his elbows resting on the desk.

It was currently the middle of the afternoon, and he just got back to his office after watching the premiere of his new movie that he decided to call 'Train Rush'. It actually went very well. The audience loved the action in his movie, even if they were unaware that the bomb in the Conductor's train was real and almost killed the entire cast. The reviews were very good. 960 points! It was even a better success than 'Murder on the Owl Express' and 'Picture Perfect'.

Despite the movie's success, the Conductor didn't feel happy in the slightest. He felt lost, confused, and sad... Arthur and Hat Kid didn't show up at the movie premiere, the Express Owls were mad at him for putting their lives in danger, and on top of all that, his train had suffered heavy damages during the recording and was in need of repairs.

Staring at two Time Pieces that were resting on his desk, he thought back on everything that happened during the recording. He didn't understand where he went wrong. All he wanted was more action in his movie to give himself better chances at beating DJ Grooves and winning the award, and he did. So why wasn't he feeling happy right now?

... Perhaps it was because of what Arthur said to him back in the train. He believed that he and the lass would be thrilled at the idea of being in a movie with intense action, but it didn't turn out to be the case. Well, maybe he should have told them what was exactly happening before the recording, but then again they would have never agreed to be part of it if he did and it would have ruined the movie experience.

Then he remembered the scared look on Hat Kid's face, the multiple glares from his fellow Express Owls... but most of all, the angry and betrayed expression on Arthur's face and the injury on his leg. Did he... cause all that? Has he gone too far beyond the point that the children would never forgive him for this? ... Oh peck, what has he done?

"They really are selfish kids, aren't they?" an unknown voice suddenly said. The Conductor jolted and frantically looked around the room.

"W-what? Who's there?!" he asked in a panicked tone.

"Now now... no need to panic, Conductor," the voice answered with a chuckle.

The strange owl then spotted a figure standing in the dark corner of the office, their face hidden by the shadow. Judging by their height, it appeared to be a child. Although something in the Conductor's mind told him that it wasn't Arthur or Hat Kid.

"Who are you?! Show yerself!" the movie director ordered warily.

The figure stepped out of the shadow and revealed themselves. The red hood and the blond mustache were recognizable. It was Mustache Girl. The Conductor didn't know her yet, but he was just about to...

"I'm just... a _friend_," the red-hooded girl simply answered with a smirk.

"How did yer get in?" the Conductor asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

Mustache Girl shrugged and said, "Through the door. The security here isn't really the 'sharpest' I saw." The Conductor growled in annoyance. Why are the security owls so pecking useless? He will have a serious talk with them later...

"But whatever. I came here to talk to you about the two kids you let star in your movies... and know that you shouldn't feel bad for what happened in your train. After all, you did what you had to do to get a perfect score. Even the birds in the theatre seemed to love it," Mustache Girl said with an evil grin. The Conductor gave her a puzzled look. How did she know all of this? As if reading the strange owl's mind, she answered, "Yup, I was on the train when that happened. Trust me, nothing to be sorry about."

"But... the lad got hurt and the lass..." the Conductor said with a sad sigh. Mustache Girl only huffed in response, not caring in the slightest.

"Oh please! They _knew_ what they were getting into, and they dare to complain? That's just plain rude don't you think?" she said, twirling her mustache a little. "Also... there's something they didn't tell you about these 'movie props'."

"What about them? These thingamajigs are just props!" the strange owl said confused. Mustache Girl shook her head.

"Oh so wrong... they're not just some ordinary hourglasses. They're _Time Pieces_!" the red-hooded girl explained.

"Time Pieces?" the Conductor asked confused.

"Yup! They can rewind time when you break them. You could use that power to your advantage," Mustache Girl explained with a smirk. The Conductor snorted in disbelief.

"Pffft, 'rewind time'? Heh, ye've seen too many sci-fi movies, lass. Now shoo, get outta here!" the strange owl ordered, pointing his finger at the exit. Mustache Girl gave him an annoyed look, but then she smiled evilly.

"Fine. Let me show you then," she said, taking one of the Time Pieces on the desk. She then held it in the air, ready to throw it on the floor. The Conductor's invisible eyes widened, realizing what she was about to do.

"Lass, **NO!**" he shouted in panic, getting up to stop her.

Too late. Mustache Girl threw the Time Piece on the floor, causing it to shatter on impact. Time froze for a few seconds and then...

"Pffft, 'rewind time'? Heh, ye've- Eh?"

A long silence occured as the Conductor processed what just happened. Wasn't he just saying that before? Suddenly, realization hit him.

"_**WHADDA WHAT?!**_" the Conductor shouted in total shock. Mustache Girl picked up the Time Piece on the floor and showed it to the movie director. The strange owl's jaw dropped after seeing that the Time Piece was intact. It was like it was never broken in the first place.

"Now you understand, right? And you know the worst part? The two hatted brats _**know**_ about the power they contain," Mustache Girl said bitterly.

"But... But why? Why didn't they tell me anything about it?" the Conductor asked, completely lost.

"Simple! They only want to keep the Time Pieces for their selfish needs. That's the only reason they agreed to be a part of your movies in the first place. They don't care about you, your movies, or even this planet. That's why!" Mustache Girl explained with a serious expression.

"No! T-that ain't true!" the Conductor argued in disbelief as he slammed his fist on the desk. The two kids would never do that to him! Especially not the little lad! ... would they? He wasn't sure what to think anymore.

"If that's the case, then why didn't they return the ones you gave them before?" Mustache Girl asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

The Conductor fell silent. That's true... He remembered asking Arthur and Hat Kid to return the first Time Piece he gave them when they first met, and yet they didn't. The strange owl stared at the second Time Piece on his desk, and the longer he stared at it the angrier he got. Those no-good, hat-wearing **peck necks**! They knew all along about the power of the Time Pieces, and they didn't say anything! They kept secrets. They lied to him. They used him. They betrayed him. And to think he shared stories with the greedy lad...

Mustache Girl grinned evilly, seeing from the movie director's expression that she finally managed to get through to him.

"Now that you know the truth, I'll leave you to your future actions," the red-hooded girl said, before looking at the Time Piece in her hand. "I'll keep this Time Piece as an exchange for revealing its purpose to you, and you can keep the other one. I trust that you'll put it to good use, right?"

"Ohhh, believe me lass, I will. I _will_..." the Conductor said through gritted teeth.

"Good! Enjoy that new power!" Mustache Girl said cheerfully before walking away. As she exited the office, a feeling of satisfaction made her grin. The conversation went better than she expected. Not only did she get a Time Piece, but she also managed to turn the Conductor against her two enemies. With a little luck, he will get rid of Arthur and Hat Kid for her.

Back in the office, the Conductor was left with his anger boiling in him and the feeling of betrayal still haunting him. He never would have thought that his two little actors would hide such an important secret from him, even after he allowed them to be the stars of his movies. With this power, he could go back in time and... yes, that's it! He could reclaim the trophy he lost to DJ Grooves. Award 42. He was still bitter from that day, but now he had a chance to make it right.

He opened the drawer of his desk, revealing another Time Piece he had been keeping. He took it and examined it, before looking at the other one on his desk. He then smirked as he had an idea. He could probably give one of them to Arthur and Hat Kid after the award ceremony to get them off his back for good, and then... he would use the last one to change history and reclaim award 42 to keep his endless winning streak and be able to laugh at DJ Grooves' face once more.

But first, he had to win the next bird movie award. He then remembered that his rival, DJ Grooves, still had to record his next movie on the moon tonight and there was no doubt that Arthur and Hat Kid will be there too. A dark thought came through the strange owl's mind. Maybe he could go there himself and add his little _personal touch_.

"Well, lassie, laddie... Since you two like to backstab me so much, then I'm sure yer wouldn't mind if I did the same to yer. _**Eh hehehehe...**_" he said with an evil grin.

**A/N:**** Hey, everyone! Phew! This chapter was really long... but I really wanted to fit everything I wanted in it. Well, it's actually a good thing! It means you guys have more to read in one chapter! It kinda breaks what I said in the beginning about writing short chapters to release them faster. But in the end, I'm having a lot of fun writing this story and quality over quantity!**

**So yeah, as you've figured, the Conductor will be the antagonist of the Battle of the Birds chapter in this story. It was a bit heartbreaking to break the friendship that Arthur and the Conductor had, but I had to pick someone to be the villain and I chose the Conductor over DJ Grooves.**

**Anyway, time to answer the reviews!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Indeed, and I chose the Conductor and you can already see that the events of Train Rush has broken the small bits of trust that Arthur had for him.**

_**To thechickenisawesome:**_** Haha! I can totally imagine this! XD**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Thanks! And you're welcome. For now, I haven't planned to add your idea, but who knows, maybe I'll change my mind if it fits in my story.**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** Thank you! :D**

**Alright, that's all for today, folks! See you in the next chapter!**


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Back in the spaceship, Arthur was sitting on a pillow against the wall in the main room, clutching to his injured leg.

"Ahh! Peckin' hell!" he winced in pain.

He watched as Hat Kid exited the kitchen with a first aid kit in her hand. The young alien climbed down the ladder and walked up to him. She put the kit down and motioned for Arthur to roll up the leg of his jeans so she could take a look at his injury.

The twelve-years-old boy shook his head and said, "Don't worry about it, it's no big deal." Although the pained look on his face said otherwise. Hat Kid gave him a stern look and asked that he rolls up his jeans leg once again, only more firmly this time. Arthur sighed and did as he was told, rolling up the leg of his jeans and grimacing as he did.

The purple-hatted girl examined the boy's injury, and she formed a concerned look. The burn mark was quite an ugly sight. And although she couldn't tell if it was a second or third-degree burn, she could still see that it was quite serious. The sooner it gets treated the better. She opened her first aid kit and picked up the burn ointment. Opening the tube, she was about to apply it on Arthur's injury when the latter stopped her.

"Oh, uh... don't trouble yourself. I can do it myself," Arthur said as he went to grab the tube. However, Hat Kid drew the ointment back out of his reach and shook her head, insisting on doing it for him. Arthur was surprised by that and seemed hesitant to let her do it, but he eventually sighed in defeat and said, "Fine. Go on ahead," making the girl smile.

Pressing the tube, Hat Kid put a bit of ointment on her fingers, then began to apply it on Arthur's wound. The young boy winced a little due to the pain caused by the sudden contact, but he eventually relaxed as he got used to it. Hat Kid ran her fingers in circle to spread the ointment on the burn injury.

"You didn't have to do that for me, you know. I could've done it myself and saved you the trouble of doing it," Arthur said. Hat Kid only shook her head with a smile, showing that she was just happy to help.

"In any case... I appreciate it. No one has ever really tried to help me when I got burns or cuts before," he said appreciatively. His smile then dropped and he sighed sadly. "Well... aside from my mom of course..." he whispered a bit louder than he intended to.

Hat Kid stopped her motion and gave him a concerned look. Arthur noticed her expression and shook his head.

"It's nothing," the young boy said, brushing off the concern. Hat Kid could tell that he was lying, but she decided not to insist. With a sigh, she continued applying the ointment on his injury.

After a short silence between the duo, Arthur thought back on the events that occured this morning and frowned.

"I can't believe the Conductor would do something like this. Putting a bomb on his train... and for what? A stupid movie," he said bitterly. Hat Kid nodded. She was also mad at the Conductor for putting them and the Express Owls in danger, but mostly for getting her friend injured.

"For a moment, I thought he was all right... but I was kidding myself. Turns out I can't trust anyone here either," he said, before looking up at Hat Kid. "Well, aside from you of course."

Hat Kid was happy to hear that he trusted her, but she also felt sad that he wasn't willing to trust anyone else. She was certain there was good people on this planet, like Cooking Cat for example. And DJ Grooves too! Unlike the Conductor, the disco penguin was more nice and chill, and he even helped them when they first met. She was sure that he wouldn't want to cause any harm to them.

After a few seconds, Hat Kid finished applying the ointment and removed her hand from the wound. Arthur could already feel that his burning wound hurt less now. He gave her an appreciative nod, then he pulled back down the leg of his jeans. His eyes landed on the hole in the jeans that was caused by the fire and he sighed.

"Well, there goes my jeans. I kinda liked it..." Arthur said with a sad expression.

Looking at the hole, Hat Kid thought for a second, then she snapped her fingers as she had an idea. With a smile, she made a gesture to tell Arthur to wait here before running off, much to the boy's confusion. What did she have in mind?

She returned a moment later with a needle and a blue yarn. Arthur looked at her confused for a second before eventually understanding what she wanted to do.

"You want to try and stitch it?" he asked, earning a nod from the small girl. Arthur looked at the hole in his jeans for a second, before looking back up at her and nodding.

"Okay then. Just give me a sec to... y'know... find a good spot to take off my pants. I don't wanna show off my legs, or else you'll have nightmares tonight," the young boy said nervously, causing Hat Kid to chuckle in embarrassment.

After Arthur found a good hiding spot and gave her his jeans, Hat Kid immediately got to work, sitting down cross-legged on the pillow in front of her TV to get comfy. With a smile, she began sewing up the hole in the dark blue jeans, doing that with ease and accuracy.

Stitching things up was no secret for her. Indeed, during her adventures and missions, she sometimes tended to get her clothes damaged, whether during fights or while exploring new areas. Therefore, she got a lot of experience in stitching. Heck, she was skilled enough to stitch hats. She learned that skill from her superior whom she admires a lot... She was really missing him and everyone else from her home planet. No doubt that she was feeling homesick after travelling space for months, and unfortunately the incident with her Time Pieces had postponed her arrival. At least, she made a friend while being stuck on this new planet.

After she was done, Hat Kid held the stitched jeans up to admire her work. She smiled proudly as she admired her work.

"You done? My legs are getting cold here," Arthur said, peeking out from behind the podium with the burger cushion on it. He hadn't left that spot since he gave his pants to Hat Kid, making sure to keep his legs hidden behind the podium.

The purple-hatted girl nodded with a smile, walking towards him and handing out the jeans. Arthur took it and examined it, his eyes widening. Hat Kid did an incredible work with fixing his jeans. It was like the hole had never been there in the first place. The young boy smiled and put his jeans back on, before allowing himself to limp out from behind the burger cushion relic.

"Just like the day it was bought from the store. Thanks, Hat Kid," Arthur thanked the girl with a smile. Hat Kid smiled back and gave him a thumbs up. "You sure know your way around a needle. Where'd you learn to stitch like that?" he asked, leaning against the podium and resting his hands on his belt.

"At home," Hat Kid answered.

"Well, you must've had a good teacher back there," Arthur complimented her. Hat Kid nodded, smiling as she remembered the one who taught her how to stitch.

"I remember my mom used to stitch my clothes up whenever I got a scrape," the young boy said with a smile. He then sighed and said, "That was a long time ago though. I guess good things never last." Hat Kid looked at him with a mix of curiosity and concern.

Arthur shook his head and said, "Just the way it is... Anyway, we have another recording session on the moon with DJ Grooves tonight." He looked down at his injured leg and sighed sadly. "I'm afraid I can't be a part of this one with that burn though. You're gonna have to do that on your own," he explained. Hat Kid nodded in understanding. She felt sad that Arthur won't be able to participate in the next recording with her, but she understood he needed to give his leg a rest for the time being.

"I'll still be coming along to watch you perform though. I'm kinda curious to see what DJ Grooves has planned for his next movie," Arthur said. "I just hope he won't pull something like the Conductor did. We sure don't need another near-death experience just for the show," he added in a serious tone.

Part of him wanted to believe that the disco penguin wouldn't screw them over, especially since he reassured him after the recording of Picture Perfect. But the other part – the wary one – was still telling him to not trust him. After all, the Conductor did act all nicey-nicey before, outside of his angry moments, and in the end he put him and Hat Kid through a hell run on his train for the sake of his movie. What proves that he won't pull the same trick and put him, Hat Kid or anyone else in danger just for the show?

Arthur sighed and said, "Only one way to find out I guess." Hat Kid nodded in agreement, though she had a hard time believing that DJ Grooves would do something similar to the Conductor. Surely things will be okay. Right?

"Well, we've got some time to kill before the recording. I'm gonna draw for a bit. You can watch me if you want," the twelve-years-old boy said, before going to pick up some papers and pencils. Hat Kid grinned happily at the offer and eagerly followed him.

* * *

Later in the evening, Arthur and Hat Kid landed on one of the rooftops in the city on the moon. Upon landing, Arthur winced a little because of his injury. Hat Kid gave him a concerned look, but the boy told her he was fine. Almost immediately, they could hear the sound of a large crowd nearby. Walking to the edge of the roof, they looked down and their eyes widened. The streets were crowded with hundreds, no, thousands of Moon Penguins. Confetti, balloons, and camera flashes could be seen among the crowd. There was definitely more people than last time. Not just that, but giant floats with all sorts of colors and decorations, hanging wirelines with colorful lights, and giant switches and buttons could be seen around the place. Whatever DJ Grooves had planned for his next recording, it must be something big. Arthur was thankful to be up here on the roof and not down there. He would have felt extremely uncomfortable being surrounded by all of these penguins.

From their position, they spotted DJ Grooves with a few Moon Penguins and seven bird musicians on the roof of the night club. It looks like they were ready to record and were just waiting for the two children to be able to begin.

The duo began making their way towards them by jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Arthur had a lot of trouble because of his injury, so Hat Kid decided to carry him without giving him a choice. The young boy was surprised by the girl's strength. She was literally carrying him without any trouble or showing any sign of fatigue. Well, she was an alien, so perhaps she had some sort of super-strength ability. He was also feeling embarrassed about being carried by a little girl and was hoping no one else would notice that.

Once they made it to the rooftop of the night club, Hat Kid gently put Arthur down on his feet. The young boy gave her an appreciative nod, though he couldn't hide the embarrassed expression on his face. Hat Kid couldn't help but giggle at his reaction, causing Arthur to roll his eyes at her.

As they walked near the group of musicians, they noticed they were Express Owls wearing parade costumes and carrying different instruments. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at them in confusion. The owls noticed them and formed nervous looks.

"Oh, hello again..." the lead owl musician greeted awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Hey guys, uhh... what are you doing here? I thought you only worked for the Conductor," Arthur asked confused.

"Uh yeah... Please, don't tell him about that but... after today's movie, we wanted to be part of something that didn't involve us being nearly blown up to pieces. DJ Grooves welcomed us with open arms and he isn't yelling at us like the Conductor does all the time," the Express Owl explained nervously. The two children both nodded in understanding. To be honest, they would have done the same if they were in their position.

"Yeah, we don't blame you for that... Don't worry, we won't say anything," Arthur reassured them, and Hat Kid nodded with a smile. The Express Owls sighed in relief.

"Thank you," the lead musician said appreciatively.

"Don't mention it," Arthur said with a nod.

The duo then walked away from the owl musicians and headed towards DJ Grooves. The disco penguin noticed them and smiled at them. However, he suddenly noticed that Arthur was limping, causing his smile to drop.

"Darling, are you okay? You're limping!" DJ Grooves asked concerned.

"Oh, uh, it's nothing. Don't worry about it," Arthur lied. Although the disco penguin was clearly unconvinced.

"It doesn't look like nothing to me," DJ Grooves remarked, raising an eyebrow at the boy.

Seeing Arthur's hesitation at answering the movie director, Hat Kid placed her hand on his shoulder and nodded at him with a warm smile, encouraging him to tell the truth. Arthur sighed in defeat and rolled up the leg of his jeans to show his burn mark. DJ Grooves' eyes widened in shock upon seeing it.

"What happened to you, darling?" he asked, his voice full of concern which surprised Arthur.

"Happened this morning during the recording for the Conductor's newest movie. I don't know if the Express Owls told you but... he put us on a hell run through fire hazards to disable a bomb he purposely placed on his own train just for the sake of his movie," Arthur explained as he rolled back down the leg of his jeans. Hat Kid nodded firmly to confirm her friend's explanation.

A shocked expression appeared on the disco penguin's face at this revelation. He hadn't watched the Conductor's film at the premiere since he was busy making preparations for his next movie, and the Express Owls he hired recently didn't say anything about this. DJ Grooves then frowned and shook his head in disappointment. He knew the Conductor could get pretty intense when it came to his own movies, but he never thought he would go that far, let alone risk getting two kids and his fellow owls killed for entertainment.

"I'm gonna have a word with the Conductor when I can," DJ Grooves said with a serious expression.

"Oh... no need to trouble yourself, DJ Grooves. You probably have better things to do," Arthur said, not wanting the disco penguin to get into a heated argument with the Conductor.

DJ Grooves shook his head and said, "No, darling. The Conductor has no right to put you two through dangerous situations like this. You're just children! So I'm gonna make things clear with him." Arthur was surprised to see the disco penguin willing to stand up for him and Hat Kid. Back in his world, whenever he got bullied or hurt, people either didn't care, didn't want to be involved, or simply said they didn't have time to help him. DJ Grooves was probably the first adult to defend him against someone else.

"I... We appreciate it," Arthur said genuinely. "In any case, I'm afraid I can't perform in front of the cameras with that injury on my leg." The movie director formed a sad look upon hearing this, but he nodded understandingly.

"I understand, darling. Don't worry, we can record the movie with just your friend here," DJ Grooves said, looking at Hat Kid who smiled at him.

"Thank you," Arthur said, relieved that his lack of presence won't be a problem for the recording session. He then looked down in the streets and said, "That's quite the audience we got there."

"Indeed, I asked for all of your fans to gather in the streets for our brand new movie," DJ Grooves explained.

Arthur whistled and said, "We've become quite the celebrities, that's for sure."

"You sure did, darlings! Anyway, we're about to start recording _The Big Parade_, the movie that'll take the breath away from audiences worldwide!" DJ Grooves said enthusiastically, before looking at Hat Kid. "Since Arthur can't perform today, you'll be the only star in it, darling," he explained. The purple-hatted girl nodded in understanding, then jumped up and down, excited to know what her role will be in this movie.

"For this movie, we'll need to use our special prop! It'll pop out at the very end!" DJ Grooves continued, pointing at a golden disco ball suspended just above them. Inside of it, the two children could notice the shape of a Time Piece. "But wait, darling! Your current outfit really isn't fit for a parade. Can you go over there and get dressed?" the disco penguin said as he pointed at a white and red gift box just behind the duo.

Hat Kid did as she was told and walked up to the gift box, unwrapping it and opening it. As she checked the content, her eyes sparkled. There were two parade outfits in this box: one was a red and white coat with golden threads, white boots, and above all, a tall red and gold parade hat with a mask, beak, and feather. The other one was the same, except it was green instead of red. Hat Kid figured that the red outfit was for her and the green one was meant to be for Arthur. Unfortunately he couldn't be in recording today, so she will have to bring it back to DJ Grooves.

She eagerly put the red parade outfit over her regular clothes and replaced her purple top hat with the parade one. She then picked up the green outfit and carried it back to Arthur and DJ Grooves.

"You look great, darling!" the disco penguin complimented her with a smile.

"So I guess the other outfit was supposed to be for me?" Arthur asked, eyeing the green parade clothes in Hat Kid's arms.

"That's right. It really is a shame you can't play in this, darling," DJ Grooves said sadly.

"Yeah, well, you can thank the Conductor for that..." Arthur said in a sad and bitter tone. The disco penguin glanced at the parade outfit in Hat Kid's arms for a second, then looked back at Arthur.

"I want you to keep this outfit, darling. You can wear it whenever you like," DJ Groves said with a smile.

"Really?" Arthur asked in a surprised tone, earning a nod from the movie director. Hat Kid approached him and handed him the clothes over, which he hesitantly took. "I... appreciate it. I mean, I don't see myself being in a parade anytime soon, but... thanks," he said appreciatively. DJ Grooves nodded at him with a smile.

"So what is she supposed to do here?" the twelve-years-old boy asked curiously.

"Well, this movie is really easy," DJ Grooves answered before turning his attention to Hat Kid. "All you have to do is keep moving around and the band will follow you! Just don't bump into them! And keep an eye out for goodies! The audience loves a good parade and will throw treats your way if you get near them." The small girl nodded with a confident smile. So all she had to do was moving and jumping around, and receive treats from Moon Penguins? Sounds easy!

"The parade lasts a while; nothing you can do to speed it up. We'll let you know once we got enough footage. Don't lose spirit!" DJ Grooves said cheerfully. Hat Kid grinned and gave thumbs up with both hands to show how excited and determined she was to perform greatly in this movie.

"Excellent! I'll be watching you from my set. We'll get started in a minute, if you wanna get yourself ready," the disco penguin said. Hat Kid nodded. DJ Grooves turned his attention to the group of Express Owls and said, "Alright, owls, we're gonna start recording! I want you all to form a line behind the little darling here!" The owl musicians did as they were told and lined up behind Hat Kid.

"Good luck, darling!" DJ Grooves said to the young alien with a smile. Hat Kid nodded with a grin, before getting herself in position. She also pulled out her umbrella and placed it on her shoulder, since parade leaders usually carry canes or something in their hands. The disco penguin looked at Arthur and said, "If you want, you can come with me on my set and we'll watch your friend from there, darling."

"Sure," Arthur answered with a nod.

DJ Grooves walked to edge of the rooftop and got on a float that had a DJ record table and speakers on it, then helped Arthur get on as well.

"So this is your DJ set?" the young boy asked as he set down his parade clothes to the side and looked at the record table.

"Indeed, darling! The very same equipment I used in my club. Before getting in the movie business, I ran a night club here on the moon. Now one of my assistants is owning it, but I still come there sometimes to give one or two concerts when I'm not making movies," DJ Grooves explained, motioning to the building Hat Kid and the Express Owls are standing on.

"Makes sense. You're a DJ after all," Arthur remarked jokingly, making the disco penguin chuckle. "I've been meaning to ask... there's no fire hazards or bomb included in your movie, right? 'Cause we've had our share of danger with the Conductor for one day," he asked skeptically.

"Don't worry, darling. Nothing dangerous included. All your friend has to do is lead the parade around for a few minutes, then she'll have to turn on some pyrotechnics and fireworks for the big show. Everything set to be harmless," DJ Grooves said in a reassuring tone. "And in case things were to go wrong, I have this button right here to stop everything," he added, showing a red button on his record table.

"Good," Arthur said, feeling relieved. At least DJ Grooves was considerate and didn't seem willing to put Hat Kid in danger just for the show. Maybe things will go well. He hoped so at least...

The disco penguin turned his attention to the crowd of Moon Penguins in the streets and picked up his microphone.

"Hello, everyone! All you penguins know my name... DJ Grooves!" he said through his mic so everyone can hear him talk. The crowd cheered loudly upon hearing the movie director's voice. "Welcome to the largest studio set you'll ever see! Tonight, we're gonna record our brand new movie. It's gonna be called... _The Big Parade_! And it'll feature our two favorite young stars: Hat Kid and Arthur Jones!" Everyone in the streets clapped in excitement.

"Unfortunately, Arthur had a... little incident recently and won't be able to be part of our movie this time," DJ Grooves announced, looking at the boy sadly. "But don't worry! He'll be with us tonight to watch the show and support his friend throughout the recording!" he added cheerfully. Although the public was a bit sad and disappointed that Arthur couldn't participate in this movie, they still cheered knowing he was going to be here to watch the show go on. The young boy timidly waved at the audience.

"As the title says, it's gonna be a parade and the leader of said parade is none other than the famous diva, Hat Kid!" DJ Grooves continued, motioning to the young alien. Hat Kid waved at the public and gave them a flashy smile. The crowd of penguins cheered and clapped in response. "Without further ado let's get started!" the disco penguin finally announced enthusiastically, making the audience go wild in excitement.

"Alright, darlings! Get ready!" he announced while speaking in his mic. The young girl nodded and got in a ready pose, while the Express Owls readied their instruments. DJ Grooves flipped a switch on his record table, starting up the music, and shouted, "**GO!**".

And with that, Hat Kid took off with the band following behind her and playing along with the music with their instruments. At first, the young alien just circled the roof, then eventually jumped on the wirelines to go to other rooftops. Surprisingly, the band was able to follow her across the wirelines without too much trouble.

As Hat Kid passed by some Moon Penguins on the rooftops, some of them threw some treats at her and she effortlessly caught them mid-air. They actually turned out to be bird seed bars. Hat Kid looked at the treats questionally, but she simply shrugged and put them in her pockets out of respect for the penguins.

She continued marching and jumping around on different rooftops, with the owl musicians still following behind her. Hat Kid was impressed that they were able to keep up with her. Perhaps when being a part of the Conductor's movies, you have to be quite fit, given the intensity of his recordings. The small girl also made sure to avoid falling down in the sea of Moon Penguins in the streets below. Indeed, a celebrity ending up in the middle of a huge crowd of fans can sometimes give some... undesirable results.

_'Well, she's having a lot of fun. That's good,'_ Arthur thought with a smile. Indeed, Hat Kid was having an absolute blast in this parade, judging by the huge grin on her face, and nothing dangerous seemed to be included in it. Yeah, perhaps there was nothing to worry about this time.

DJ Grooves checked the timer in his hand and decided it was time go to the next step of his movie.

"It's time to turn the heat up in this movie!" the disco penguin announced through his microphone. The audience in the streets cheered louder. DJ Grooves then looked at Hat Kid and asked, "Darling, can you turn on the pyrotechnics?".

The small girl nodded and began searching for the switches to turn on the pyrotechnics. After the disco penguin's announcement, the music started to intensify, giving a more fast paced and anxiety-inducing tone. Eventually, Hat Kid found a dial on a rooftop and figured it was one of the switches to activate the pyrotechnics. Not having enough time to turn it on with her hands – because the band was still following her – she whacked it with her umbrella, successfully turning it on. She continued wandering around and found two other dials, which she proceeded to activate.

Once she hit the last one, the music returned to normal and a spotlight shone on the rooftop of the night club. It counted down three seconds, then sparklers went off. Strangely, they also went on the rooftop flooring, hurting the Moon Penguins on it and causing them to jump up and down in pain.

"Uhh... Is that normal, DJ Grooves?" Arthur asked with a puzzled look.

"Not really... The sparklers are meant to go off, yes, but they aren't supposed to also go on the rooftop flooring," DJ Grooves answered, also seeming confused by this.

After a few seconds, the sparklers automatically turned off and went to the next rooftop. The penguins who were on the club's rooftop all rubbed their back to ease the pain and were relieved that the sparklers ceased for now.

"Probably a mistake from the penguin engineers. I'm gonna have a word with them after the recording. As long as your friend doesn't step on the rooftops with the sparklers on, she'll be fine," DJ Grooves said.

"Well, that's reassuring..." Arthur muttered sarcastically as he started feeling anxious. Perhaps he spoke too soon when he thought things will go smoothly for this movie. Well, for now, Hat Kid was doing fine so he hoped it would remain that way.

Hat Kid also noticed that something was off with the sparklers, therefore she made sure to avoid the rooftops with the sparklers on. Good thing the spotlights giving the countdown were giving her a heads up before the sparklers were activated on any of the rooftops.

Despite the sparklers issue, the movie continued without too much incidents – if you don't count the Moon Penguins who were exposed to the sparklers and were yelping in pain. Hat Kid was doing okay marching and jumping across rooftops, with the band still behind her.

"This movie needs more action!" DJ Grooves announced after looking at his timer. "Darling, turn on the firework cannons for the big firework show!" Hat Kid grinned ear to ear after hearing that. Fireworks? She loved firework shows, and doing the honors as the parade marshall made it all more exciting!

Without wasting any more time, she eagerly made her way to one of the floats that had a firework cannon on it. She stepped on the button, activating the cannon. It fired off a firework rocket towards the night sky. Satisfied, Hat Kid moved onto the next one. However, while she was looking away, the firework rocket changed direction and was headed... **right towards her**! The young alien grew confused when she heard a hissing sound that only seemed to get closer by the second. She looked behind her and her eyes widened in horror as she saw the rocket fly right towards her. Reacting quickly, she dove to the side just as she was about to get hit. The rocket hit the floor instead and blew up on impact.

Hat Kid was left in shock, but she quickly got up and continued marching so the owl musicians wouldn't bump into her. She then witnessed the firework cannon fire off another rocket, and to her horror this one was also aiming for her.

"DJ Grooves! What's happening?!" Arthur asked the disco penguin in shock, as he watched Hat Kid try to avoid the firework rocket.

"I-I have no idea! The firework rockets were supposed to shoot into the sky and rain down fabulous colors, not aim for her!" DJ Grooves answered with a shocked expression. That wasn't good! At this rate, his little diva was going to get hurt or worse. He stared at the red button on his record table in hesitation. Pushing it would end his movie here and leave it unfinished, which will definitely affect his chance at winning the award, since he doesn't have enough time or resources to remake a movie. Was he going to take the risk of losing the award to the Conductor once again? DJ Grooves sighed sadly. He would rather lose the award than seeing Hat Kid get hurt. He didn't have a choice...

"I... I'll just end the movie here," he said in a sad tone, before pressing the red button. However, to both his and Arthur's shock, it did nothing. The firework cannon only continued to fire more rockets at Hat Kid. "What the...! The button doesn't work!" he shouted in panic, repeatedly pressing the button to no avail.

"You can't be serious! Is there no other way to end this massacre?!" Arthur asked as panic and anxiety overwhelmed him.

"N-no! This button was the only way stop all machines before the end of the movie! The only solution left is to grab the movie prop once it's released, and it runs on a timer!" DJ Grooves said panicked.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me!" Arthur said with a scared expression as he put his hands on both sides of his head. It was the Conductor's movie all over again! And the worst thing is he couldn't do anything to help. All he could do was watch and hope that Hat Kid will make it. He really hated feeling helpless...

Meanwhile, Hat Kid was trying her best to dodge the firework rockets as they come. Figuring that it wasn't going to end until she finished the movie, she made a beeline for the two buttons to activate the remaining firework cannons and stepped on them.

Now all she had to do was hold on until the Time Piece was released, but it was easier said than done, especially with the Express Owls constantly following her and the sparklers on the rooftops. The small girl was panicking in the inside, fearing for her life as the firework cannons kept firing more rockets at her. This parade wasn't fun anymore; everything was trying to kill her! Even if she was able to avoid all of the rockets shot at her so far, she made a mistake while dodging one and it caused the leading owl musician to accidentally crash into her, sending her down into the audience below, who cheered and roughly tossed her back into the air with a yelp. They all thought it was part of the parade. Thankfully, Hat Kid landed back on one of the rooftops safely. However, she had to quickly get back up as more rockets were aiming for her.

Arthur was extremely anxious as he watched Hat Kid try to avoid all kinds of hazards being thrown at her. Sure, he felt that way whenever he was in danger, but the feeling was way worse when it was about a friend. It took him every bits of efforts to not hyperventilate here on the spot.

Even the normally-chill DJ Grooves was freaking out in the inside. This isn't how his movie was supposed to go! Suddenly, he heard a beeping coming from his timer. As he looked at it, he felt relieved upon knowing that his movie prop was about to be unleashed. All Hat Kid had to do was grab it in order to turn off all machines.

"Time to release the parade surprise! Grab it, darling!" DJ Grooves said to Hat Kid through his microphone.

With that said, the golden disco ball clicked, then opened up, releasing the Time Piece along with some confetti. With a determined nod, Hat Kid jumped from rooftop to rooftop, while avoiding the rockets and the sparklers, and made it to the roof of the night club. She dove forward and grabbed the Time Piece, hugging it close to her chest. As soon as she did, the sparklers and the firework cannons automatically turned off. The small girl let out a sigh of relief and got up to her feet. However, she didn't notice that a leftover rocket was headed right for her.

"HAT KID, LOOK OUT!" Arthur tried to warn her. Hat Kid heard him and looked behind her, her eyes widening when she spotted the rocket going for her.

She dove to the side to evade it, but unfortunately she was too close to the explosion when the rocket blew up on impact, knocking her parade hat off her head. She let a painful scream as she was sent flying away, landing at the edge of the rooftop. Thankfully, she didn't fall off.

"No!" Arthur shouted in a panicked tone. He jumped off the float he was on and landed on the rooftop. He yelled in pain as his bad leg touched the floor, though he quickly brushed it off and made his way to Hat Kid's side. DJ Grooves soon joined him.

"Hat Kid! Are you okay?!" the twelve-years-old boy asked worried, kneeling down to check on his friend. The poor girl was a mess: her parade clothes were ripped off on some parts and she was covered in soot. But fortunately, she was still able to move.

Hat Kid slowly sat up and stared at Arthur. Tears started building in her eyes and she began sniffing. Then she threw her arms around Arthur and began sobbing on his shoulder. The young boy froze in surprise, but after a few seconds he slowly wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey... It's okay. It's okay..." Arthur said softly as he continued hugging the crying girl. He had never comforted anyone before, so he felt a bit awkward. Although he knew that Hat Kid needed his support after what she just went through, so he did his best in comforting her.

DJ Grooves watched the two children hug with a sad look. Seeing his little diva, who is usually so happy and cheerful, look hurt and traumatized was heartbreaking. He couldn't help but feel responsible for what happened since it was his movie, therefore his actors are also his responsibility.

He then remembered that the cameras were still recording and the audience was still here. He had to announce the end of the movie now, and hopefully the penguins won't notice the incident that occured. He turned to face the public in the streets, then he picked up his microphone and spoke in it.

"All right, ladies and gents, this marks the end of _The Big Parade_," the disco penguin said, trying to sound as enthusiastic as possible despite his concern for Hat Kid's condition. "Thank you for coming here tonight, and as always make sure to join our divas' fanclub. DJ Grooves... out." The public cheered and clapped, unaware of the gravity of the situation. After that, they quieted down and began to disperse, returning to their respective home. And the cameras were also turned off. DJ Grooves sighed in relief. Now that it was over with, he could turn his attention back on Hat Kid.

The small girl had stopped crying and pulled away from the hug she was having with Arthur. When she did, she suddenly winced in pain and looked at her left arm.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked in a worried tone. Hat Kid rolled up her sleeve, revealing a burn mark on her arm. Arthur and DJ Grooves' eyes widened in horror. She must have gotten it in the explosion.

"Dammit..." Arthur muttered sadly as he shook his head. He hated it when someone he cared about got hurt, the feeling was worse than if it was him being hurt.

"I... I'm really sorry, darling. I... Here, come with me. We're gonna get that burn treated right away," DJ Grooves said as he and Arthur helped Hat Kid get up.

The disco penguin then led the two children down the building and they made their way to the space rocket they used to get to the moon for the recording of Picture Perfect. Unknown to them, a shadowy figure was watching them leave from afar. The mysterious person grinned evilly and rubbed their hands together, seeing that their plan worked.

"Oh hohoho! It was perfect! Now let's see if yer still have a chance to beat me at the annual bird movie award, DJ **Peck Neck**," they said satisfied, before walking away in the shadow.

**A/N: Hey guys! Phew... Finally this chapter is over with! I'm really sorry for taking so long to write it, but I kinda lost motivation because of a temp job I had for the past couple of weeks. I worked from Monday to Saturday, from 8 AM to 5 PM, and whenever I got back home I was too exhausted to write the chapter, which caused a loss of motivation to write my story.**

**Now, my temping job is over and I have to look for another one. In the meantime, I have some free time so I'll try to continue writing this story since I really want to make some progress. Just know that I won't give up on this story and the chapters will come out when they're ready.**

**Anyway, that wraps up 'The Big Parade' act. I still have a scene with DJ Grooves treating Hat Kid's injury to write, then it'll be time for the Award Ceremony. All of that will be in the next chapter.**

**Alright! It's time to answer the previous reviews!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Yeah. Unfortunately, the Conductor's actions have costed him his friendship with Arthur. Then Mustache Girl arrived and... you know the drill.**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Yeah... I know I made Mustache Girl a bit hateable in this chapter, and honestly the game is making her as such (if you don't see get to see her story book you get from the purple time rift in the attic). She is definitely misguided and stuck in her own ideas of 'good' and 'bad', and we all know she's as stubborn as a mule. But who knows? Maybe the events at the end of my story will change your mind about her. ;) Anyway, thank you! ^^**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** Indeed, the Conductor is the antagonist of the 'Battle of the Birds' chapter for this story. Annnd you have your answer about the Big Parade here. ;) Anyway, thank you! ^^**

_**To Rub37:**_** You can say that again. Let's see how things will turn out.**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** Yup, be careful to not let her lies get to you. ;) And thank you! ^^**

_**To Jolteron:**_** Thank you! I'm really glad you're enjoying this story! For the Hookshot Badge I decided to make Arthur and Hat Kid obtain it through the Badge Seller, since I want to finish the Battle of the Birds acts before getting to Subcon Forest. Yeah, but I decided to make him watch the recording go instead. I hope it's still good enough. ^^;**

**Alright, that's it for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

After using the space rocket to return on earth, DJ Grooves led Arthur and an injured Hat Kid to his office inside Dead Bird Studio. The office was very different from the Conductor's: it was moon-themed with some DJ equipments and a disco ball was hanging on the ceiling. There was also a star-shaped mirror surrounded by a golden frame with a shelf under it that had different hair products and perfume bottles on it, and there were posters of DJ Grooves' previous movies pinned on the wall. Unlike the Conductor's room, instead of tons of bird movie award trophies, there was only one resting on a shelf at the corner of the room – which was visibly covered in dust and cobweb. The two children assumed that it was the one that DJ Grooves won during the 42th award as they remembered the Conductor's story.

"Here, you can sit on my chair, darling. I'll go get something to treat your wound," DJ Grooves said, allowing Hat Kid to sit on his chair behind the desk. The small girl gave the disco penguin a grateful smile before watching him go to his cabinet to look for something to treat her burn mark.

DJ Grooves returned seconds later with a green tube in his flipper. He pressed the tube, putting a strange gelatinous green liquid on his fingers, before setting the tube aside on the desk. Hat Kid looked at the substance with a curious expression.

"It's aloe vera, darling. It's gonna help you with your burn," the disco penguin explained as he knelt down the Hat Kid's level. He extended his flipper out to ask the young alien to give him her arm so he could see her wound. Hat Kid accepted and placed her injured arm on his flipper.

DJ Grooves examined the burn first, then he began to apply the liquid on it. Hat Kid winced a little due to the sudden contact and not to mention that the substance was a bit cold, but she let the movie director do his thing. After he was done, he pulled out a cloth pad from his pocket and gently wrapped it around the wound.

Hat Kid examined her bandaged arm in surprise. It actually stung less now. Whatever was this aloe vera thingy, it was super effective. She gave DJ Grooves a thankful smile and nodded in appreciation, to which he responded with a smile of his own.

The disco penguin picked up the tube of aloe vera and looked at it, before looking at Arthur. He remembered that the boy also had a burn mark on his leg, so since she treated Hat Kid's wound he might as well do the same with him.

"Can I see your wound, darling?" DJ Grooves asked Arthur.

"I'm fine," the young boy simply responded, waving his hand dismissively.

"Please, darling. It will help your burn heal faster and better. I promise you," DJ Grooves insisted.

Arthur looked down at his leg, unsure if he should let DJ Grooves take a look at it. He wasn't used to people wanting to help him, not to mention he didn't know how to feel about the disco penguin after what happened during the recording. It wasn't until he saw Hat Kid's pleading look that he decided to allow the movie director to treat his wound.

Sighing in defeat, Arthur said, "Alright," then rolled up the leg of his jeans, letting his burn mark in full view. DJ Grooves knelt down to his level and put some aloe vera on his fingers. He then applied the liquid on the wound, causing Arthur to wince slightly. However, the latter slowly relaxed after a few seconds.

The room remained quiet for a moment. Eventually, DJ Grooves had finished treating Arthur's wound. He then proceeded to wrap a cloth pad around it like he did with Hat Kid.

"Thanks," Arthur said appreciatively. DJ Grooves simply smiled at him before getting up. After a few seconds of silence, the twelve-years-old boy sighed and asked, "What the hell happened back there, DJ Grooves? I thought you said there was nothing harmful in your movie."

The disco penguin formed a sad and remorseful expression and said, "I-I'm so sorry, darling. I... I have no idea what went wrong. Neither the pyrotechnics or the firework rockets were supposed to do that."

Arthur cautiously read his face to make sure he wasn't lying just to cover his true intentions. However, judging by the movie director's expression, the way he reacted during the incident, and the fact that he just treated their injuries, it appeared that he was telling the truth. Arthur's expression softened, now convinced that DJ Grooves was different from the Conductor and truly was concerned about the duo's well-being.

"I had the engineers run a few tests during the afternoon and they said everything worked fine. Even the button, I tested it myself before the recording and it worked! I don't know why it didn't this time," DJ Grooves continued. "It's almost as if someone..." the disco penguin trailed off, slowly forming an angry look at the sudden realization.

"Someone sabotaged your set," Arthur finished the sentence for him as he tightened his fists angrily. Of course, it all made sense... Someone purposely increased the intensity of the pyrotechnics so the sparklers would go on the rooftop's flooring, replaced the firework rockets with homing missiles, and disconnected the emergency stop button. Indeed, someone attempted to sabotage DJ Grooves' movie! And the boy already had a _very_ good idea on who the culprit is...

"I'd bet your afro hair that the Conductor is behind all this," Arthur concluded. That snake! Not only did that 'bird' or whatever he was put them in danger during this morning's recording, but he also sabotaged his rival's movie just to win? Arthur was so glad he cut his ties with him before. DJ Grooves nodded, agreeing with the boy's theory.

"I'll ask the penguin engineers if they saw him or spotted anything that could prove that he did it. Such act will lead him to being disqualified from this year's bird movie award," the disco penguin said through gritted teeth. He always disliked the Conductor and he knew that he could get pretty intense when it came to his movies, but he never thought he would step that low. Though the idea that the strange owl would eventually pull something like this had already crossed his mind more than once.

"Yeah, and that will surely and _fairly_ ensure your victory for this year's movie award," Arthur said, crossing his arms. DJ Grooves nodded, then sighed sadly.

"Yes, but... after what happened tonight... I don't really care about winning anymore," the disco penguin said, surprising both children.

"You don't?" Arthur asked perplexed. DJ Grooves shook his head.

"No. I admit, after losing so many times to the Conductor, I wanted nothing more but to win this year's award, so I could shut that... owl or whatever-he-is's mouth for once and... to tell myself that my movies had at least _something_ good in them," the disco penguin said with a glum expression. He walked up to one of his movie posters on the wall and stared at it as he continued talking. "All these years of being on a losing streak has been very hard for me and I even considered _quitting_ the movie business more than once... I... I grew desperate. So desperate that I was ready to hire anyone to star in my movies. People who've never done acting before or even children, whether or not they were comfortable with it..."

Arthur and Hat Kid gave each other a sad look. They really felt bad for DJ Grooves. Years of constantly losing and being humiliated by the Conductor must have been very demoralizing for him. It was impressive how he had been able to continue in the movie business despite all of the losses. They weren't sure if they would have lasted that long.

DJ Grooves turned around and looked at the two children with a warm smile, before saying, "But you know what made this year special? It's you, darlings."

"Us?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Hat Kid also gave the movie director a confused look.

"Yes, darlings! From the moment we met, you two were like a light coming to shine its way through the darkness!" the disco penguin said joyfully. He looked at Hat Kid and said, "Hat Kid darling, I saw how overjoyed you were to star in my movies. I watched you having a blast during Picture Perfect; you immediately bonded with your fans and they all love you. Like a true _diva_! And during The Big Parade, you looked so happy before... the incident. It truly brought a smile to my face to see how much fun you were having in my movies."

Hat Kid really felt flattered by the DJ's words. As a response, she grinned happily and gave him thumbs up with both of her hands. DJ Grooves then turned his attention to Arthur next.

"And you, Arthur darling. Well... I know that your movie preferences are closer to the Conductor's than mine and I saw how uncomfortable you were during the first recording..." he began to say, causing Arthur to rub the back of his head uncomfortably. "And yet, despite all of that, you sticked around. You were here to support your friend through all of my movies! She was the sun that provided the light, and you were the wind that pushed the clouds away from her. I'm really proud of you two, darlings!" he added with a smile.

Arthur's eyes widened in surprise. Proud? DJ Grooves was... proud of him? The only person who ever told him they were proud of him was his mom. To hear someone else say it as well... it's... wow. The yound boy didn't know what to say, but he didn't have to since DJ Grooves continued speaking.

"Tonight, I've realized something. Winning the annual bird movie award is not what truly matters... What's important is making a movie that you and the audience love. This **is** my true motivation and it's always been the case. My rivalry with the Conductor and my desperation to win clouded my judgement. It got me away from my true goal. From now on, I'm only gonna focus on making movies that I love and that my fans would love just as much!" the disco penguin said with a hopeful smile.

After hearing DJ Grooves' words, Arthur and Hat Kid gave each other a knowing smile. He was right: it wasn't about winning or being the best, it was about making something you love. Arthur likes drawing and Hat Kid likes painting. They don't do this for fame or recognition, but because they love doing it.

Arthur glanced at the trophy on the shelf, then said, "I still hope you'll win the annual bird movie award, DJ Grooves. You deserve it." Hat Kid nodded in agreement, flashing an encouraging smile at the movie director.

"Thank you, darlings," DJ Grooves said, smiling at the duo appreciatively. "Anyway... Despite the incident, we've been able to get enough footage for the movie. The premiere will be tomorrow in the afternoon, same place as usual, if you're interested in watching it, darlings."

"Thanks but... after what happened today, I think we're gonna stay put for a while," Arthur said, looking at Hat Kid for confirmation. The small girl nodded. Even though she wished she could watch the premiere of 'The Big Parade' with DJ Grooves, she also needed some time to rest in her spaceship after today's events.

The disco penguin nodded and said, "I understand, darling. Just so you know, the Award Ceremony will be hosted at Dead Bird Studio in a week. I still hope to see you two there."

"Sure, we'll be there," Arthur said. Even though the last recordings have been quite eventful, the least they could do was come to the ceremony and see who the winner is, since they have played a big part in both directors' movies.

"Glad to hear it!" DJ Grooves said with a smile. "You can keep the movie prop you got. I hope it can make up for... what happened tonight," he added, referring to the Time Piece that Hat Kid got earlier.

"Thanks. Anyway, we should probably go and get some rest," Arthur suggested. Hat Kid nodded in agreement and got off the director's chair.

"Wait, darlings! Before you leave. Here, take this," DJ Grooves said, handing over the tube of aloe vera to Arthur. "Apply this on your wounds three times a day, and it'll heal up in no time." The young boy took the tube and stared at it for a few seconds.

"We appreciate it," he said before putting it in his pocket. "See you at the ceremony, DJ Grooves."

"See you, darlings," the disco penguin said.

As the two children headed towards the door, Hat Kid slowed down and eventually stopped in her tracks. She then turned around and ran towards DJ Grooves, before wrapping her arms around him and hugging him. The disco penguin looked down at her with a surprised expression, but he eventually smiled and hugged her back.

After a few seconds, Hat Kid pulled away from the hug. She then ran back to Arthur's side and waved goodbye at DJ Grooves in the process, making the disco penguin wave back at her with a smile. Then, the duo left the office, leaving DJ Grooves to his thoughts.

* * *

For the next couple of days, the two children remained in the spaceship to recover from their injuries. They spent most of their days just drawing, painting, watching TV, and some other activities they could find around the ship. And of course, they made sure to apply the aloe vera that DJ Grooves gave them on their burn marks three times a day. They could already feel their wounds healing fast and the burns appeared to get less red every day.

The week was quite uneventful, aside from a blue time rift that appeared on the moon. Since Arthur's leg wasn't completely healed yet, Hat Kid went to seal it herself, while being careful with the burn on her arm. After climbing, jumping, and diving through platforms – and being strangely followed by a parade crew the whole time in the rift – the purple-hatted girl was able to retrieve the Time Piece, thus sealing the rift.

Also, the duo received the unexpected visit of Cooking Cat who came to check on them. After finding out about their burn marks, the cat chef grew worried and started asking questions, so Arthur had to explain what happened during their time in Dead Bird Studio. Following the explanation, Cooking Cat made sure to visit them every day, cooking them meals and making sure they were recovering completely.

After a week, their wounds were fully healed and Arthur could walk again properly. Right in time since today was the Award Ceremony. They were going to find out whether the Conductor or DJ Grooves is the winner of this year's annual bird movie award.

Honestly, the duo hoped that DJ Grooves would be the one who wins the trophy. The disco penguin only winned once, and he had been nice and caring towards them since day one. He deserved a second trophy. The Conductor on the other hand had forced them to be a part of his movies and – although he praised them after the premiere of 'Murder on the Owl Express' – he then forced them to run through his train to defuse a real bomb, got Arthur wounded, then he cheated by sabotaging DJ Grooves' latest movie, injuring Hat Kid in the process. Not to mention he won almost all of the trophies. So why would he need another one?

Arthur and Hat Kid jumped off the spaceship and landed in front of Dead Bird Studio. The first thing they noticed was a big amount of cars in the parking lot. Indeed, it made sense that a lot of people would come to see the winner at the Award Ceremony.

The duo made their way inside the studio and saw a lot of birds, owls and penguins alike, queuing inside the reception. Since they were movie stars, the two children were allowed to skip the queue. Upon making it to the front, the receptionist told them that the ceremony was happening inside the movie theatre.

Making their way to said room, they came across DJ Grooves who just exited the movie theatre. The disco penguin smiled upon seeing them.

"Hello, darlings! Glad you could make it to the ceremony!" he said happily.

"Hi!" Hat Kid said in a joyful tone, waving at the movie director happily.

"Heya!" Arthur greeted him as well.

"How are your injuries?" DJ Grooves asked.

"Much better. Thanks again for the aloe vera, Grooves," Arthur said gratefully.

"No problem, darling!" DJ Grooves said with a smile.

"Anyway, what are you doing here? Figured you'd be at the movie theatre to attend the ceremony by now," Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. DJ Grooves' smile dropped and he sighed sadly.

"Unfortunately... I lost, again. 'The Big Parade' didn't get a lot of success among the audience and only got 668 points. In total, I lost with 1532 points against 1680 for the Conductor," the disco penguin admitted in a defeated tone. Arthur and Hat Kid both looked down sadly. They really wished that DJ Grooves would have won despite the incident that occured in the recording of the last movie. It looked like the Conductor got what he wanted after all... which reminded them something.

"But wait, isn't he in trouble for cheating?" Arthur asked with a perplexed look. DJ Grooves shook his head and frowned.

"I asked the penguin engineers if they saw him around before the recording, but none of them did. I also had them check for anything that could tie the Conductor to the incident, but it seems like he made sure to leave no evidence behind. So... I wasn't able to prove that he did it," he explained.

"And let me guess, if you confronted him about it, he would just deny it. That cheating bastard..." Arthur muttered bitterly.

"To be honest, I don't even want to be around him right now. Especially not with that attitude he's pulling at the moment," DJ Grooves admitted with an annoyed expression.

Arthur sighed in exasperation and asked, "Great. What'd he do now?".

"He's been feeling very smug about his victory," the disco penguin said.

"I'd be surprised if he wasn't," Arthur remarked, rolling his eyes.

"No, I mean... he always acted that way before, but today he seems... _more_ smug, more arrogant than usual. It's like something seems _off_ about him, about the way he acts in general," DJ Grooves explained. Arthur and Hat Kid gave each other a confused and concerned look. It was definitely strange that the Conductor was feeling more smug and arrogant than usual. But then again, that must be because he got a better score than the previous years, despite being almost always the winner.

"What I'm saying is be careful if you go anywhere near him, darlings. He isn't really holding his tongue today," DJ Grooves warned them with a serious expression.

"Has he ever? I mean, this bird's got a big mouth and he never shut it," Arthur said jokingly, causing Hat Kid to giggle.

"Heh. Ain't that the truth, darling," DJ Grooves answered with a chuckle. "Anyway, I'm gonna head back to my office and wait for the ceremony to end. I'll see you soon, darlings."

"See you," Arthur said. DJ Grooves then walked away, leaving the two children alone in the hallway.

"Well... let's go see the Conductor I guess," Arthur said with a shrug. Hat Kid nodded.

The duo entered the movie theatre. At the end of the room, they spotted the Conductor on the stage in front of the big screen showing a countdown. Sure enough, he had the trophy of the annual bird movie award at his side. The strange owl was bowing proudly in front of a crowd of Express Owls who were cheering for him. The only ones who weren't happy were the Moon Penguins who remained quiet in the back of the crowd with their flippers crossed.

"Thank you, thank you! You're too kind! No, please, keep going!" the Conductor said to the crowd in a proud manner.

"He's so full of himself," Arthur whispered to Hat Kid, earning a nod from her. He then made a motion with his head to tell the young alien that they should get closer.

Moving past the crowd, the duo made it to the front row. The Conductor eventually noticed their presence.

"Oh! Laddie, lassie, it's you! And yer walking properly I see," the strange owl remarked, looking at Arthur's leg.

"Yeah, it took a week to fully heal. No thanks to you," Arthur said bitterly.

The Conductor only huffed and said, "Bah, it was just a mere incident. It happens." Arthur and Hat Kid glared at him. A 'mere incident'? They could have gotten _killed_ in that train! Oh well, it's not like he cared anyway.

"Anyway, I did it! I won the annual bird movie award once again!" the strange owl boasted, putting his hand on the golden trophy and the other one on his chest proudly. "Imagine the face DJ Grooves must be pulling now! _**EH HE HE HE!**_" he added mockingly.

"Great. So that's what? Another piece of gold added to a huge pile of gold? Fantastic. I'm certain you won it _fair and square_," Arthur said sarcastically. The Conductor seemed annoyed by that, but he only grinned wider.

"I sure did, laddie," he said before pulling out a Time Piece. "Here, take this tiny, _insignificant_ movie prop to match your tiny, _**insignificant**_ efforts in securing my victory. You can probably sell it on eBird for dimes and nickels!" He then harshly tossed it at Hat Kid, causing her to let out a small "Oof!" as she caught it.

Arthur could feel his anger boil in his blood. How dare he? They helped him win the award and this is how he thanks them? By insulting them? DJ Grooves was right, the Conductor was insufferable today. No wonder he left the ceremony before the end of it.

"Hey, how about a 'thank you', jerk? We **helped** you win in case you have a short memory!" the twelve-years-old boy retorted angrily through gritted teeth, his fists clenched tightly. The Conductor only huffed and waved his hand dismissively.

"What? You're expecting more, or something? Forget it! Go! Shush! Get out of here! I never want to see yer ugly mugs again!" the strange owl shouted angrily, pointing at the exit. Arthur's jaw dropped in shock before he formed an angry expression. So that's it? After everything they had done for him, he just dismisses them without giving them a little credit? Bastard!

Hat Kid stared at the Conductor in shock. Tears began to form in her eyes, and soon she began sniffing. She met various enemies who called her mean names during her adventures and it never really bothered her, not even when she met Arthur for the first time. But hearing such words from a movie director whom she did her best to help through his movies and even started to appreciate before 'Train Rush'... it hurt... a lot. The small girl then ran away, pushing through the crowd of birds.

"Hat Kid!" Arthur called her as he watched her run out of the room. He then glared at the Conductor and angrily said, "You should be ashamed of yourself," before running after his friend.

As the Conductor watched him leave the movie theatre, his angry expression softened a little. Perhaps he went a bit too far by insulting them and telling them off... He shook his head. No, they deserve it. Hiding the truth about the props for their own needs. Well, it doesn't matter now...

_'Tonight... things are gonna change and I'm gonna get back what rightfully belongs to me,'_ the Conductor thought with a wicked smile.

Meanwhile, Arthur ran through the studio, searching for Hat Kid. He asked any birds he came across if they had seen the purple-hatted girl. Thankfully, some of them have seen her and told the boy that she ran towards the exit of the studio. The young boy made his way to the reception and left through the double doors.

"Hat Kid? Where are you?" he called her name as he looked around the parking lot. Suddenly, he heard a sniffing sound nearby. Looking to his left side a bit further from the entrance, he spotted Hat Kid sitting against the wall, her arms wrapped around her legs and her head buried in them, with the Time Piece resting at her side. He was also able to hear her sobbing.

Arthur formed a sad look, feeling bad for the girl. He knew how it feels to be insulted, then thrown away like a meaningless empty can. He had the same reaction the first time he received insults from his classmates.

The twelve-years-old boy then narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth in pure anger. That darn Conductor! Insulting him was one thing, but Hat Kid as well? That he could not tolerate! He shook his head and sighed. Whatever. That arrogant bird-like moron got what he wanted, and they were able to get back all of the Time Pieces from this area. He was not their problem anymore. Arthur approached the still-sobbing Hat Kid and sat down next to her.

"Hey..." the young boy began to say to catch her attention. Hat Kid didn't move or look at him, but she stopped sobbing upon hearing him. "Listen, uhh... don't pay attention to what the Conductor just said. Obviously, he's got a big mouth and, from the looks of it, he's only good at opening it." he joked a little. Again, he wasn't very good when it came to comfort someone else, but he did his best as he tried to think carefully of his next words.

"But I want you to know... none of the stuff he said is true. You ain't insignificant or whatsoever," Arthur said, making Hat Kid lift her head up a little and look at him from the corner of her eyes. "I've known you for like, what, two weeks or something? And I've seen you do stuff that no ordinary kid or even adult can do. Pulling through dangers to retrieve the Time Pieces and keep them safe, sealing time rifts, saving people... And a kid of your age? You're, what, ten?"

"Nine," Hat Kid answered a bit quietly.

"Close enough. But what I'm sayin' is you're not just any little girl. Everything you do... not everyone can do it. You've got more guts than any adults combined," Arthur continued. At this point, Hat Kid had lifted her head up completely and looked at the young boy with a smile.

"We haven't always seen eye to eye, but... you're better than any of the folks I've met in my life. Better than I'll ever be... So you ain't tiny or insignificant," he said. He then smirked and jokingly said, "Well... tiny, maybe a little," referring to her height. Hat Kid stuck her tongue out at him, then giggled a little.

The small girl used her sleeve to wipe the tears off her face and gave Arthur a warm smile, before wrapping her arms around him and hugging him. The twelve-years-old boy froze and formed a suprised expression at the sudden gesture.

"Thank you, Arthur," Hat Kid said gratefully. Arthur remained still for a few seconds, before eventually relaxing and wrapping an arm around her.

"Don't mention it," he said, smiling at her.

The young boy was glad he was able to make her smile again, even if he wasn't the best at it. Come to think of it, it was way easier than trying to make himself feel better. The thought made his smile drop. Indeed, why was it so hard for him to tell himself that he was doing something good? Even after saving people in Mafia Town during the lava incident or helping Hat Kid in her quest to retrieve the Time Pieces and through moments like this? ...Well, because he knew that he didn't deserve it... He was no hero after all. Everything he does is only because he promised Hat Kid to help her retrieve her lost Time Pieces after all. Don't get him wrong, he would lie if he said he didn't care about her. He really does, it's just... he would never have done any of the good actions he did until now without her.

He shook his head, not wanting Hat Kid to see his sudden glum face and start worrying about him. She had better things to worry about after all.

"Alright. Let's get back to the spaceship and try to forget all this mess," Arthur suggested. Hat Kid pulled away from the hug and nodded.

The two children got up, then Hat Kid picked up the Time Piece she got from the Conductor and used it to get herself and Arthur back to the spaceship.

* * *

It was currently nightfall on Earth. The Award Ceremony had ended and all of the birds who attended it left to go home. The employees also left, leaving Dead Bird Studio empty and quiet. Well, almost...

Inside the building, DJ Grooves was stomping through the office hallways, and he was _**furious**_. Indeed, the Moon Penguins told him they witnessed the Conductor insulting Arthur and Hat Kid and refusing to give them any sorts of credit during the ceremony, causing them to run away. How dare he? Sabotaging his movie and humiliating him at the Award Ceremony was one thing, but mistreating his little divas? It was the straw that broke the camel's back! That's it! No more Mr. Nice DJ Grooves! This time, he was going to give him a piece of his mind.

The disco penguin made it to the door of the Conductor's office, which was slightly open and light was coming out, confirming that the strange owl was still inside. Just as he was about to push the door open, he suddenly heard the Conductor talking inside.

"Everyone's gone now? _Good!_ Time to go on with the first part of me plan!"

DJ Grooves stopped in his tracks upon hearing that. Curious, he slightly pushed the door open but not too much. Just enough so he could take a peek inside without his rival noticing him. As he did, he spotted the Conductor behind his desk, taking something out of his drawer and holding it up in the air. The disco penguin then noticed that it was one of the props that the strange owl has been keeping for his movies.

"I still can't believe these hat-wearin', secret-keepin', greedy, no-good, dirty peck necks would hide the truth 'bout these magical props!" the Conductor said bitterly to himself. From behind the door, DJ Grooves raised an eyebrow in confusion. What was so 'magical' about these objects? They were just movie props! ...But then again, what kind of ordinary prop would fall from the sky and emit such bright light without any light source in them.

"Well, it doesn't matter. They've already got plenty of these Time Pieces for their own needs. It's no big deal if I just keep this one for myself and use it to rewind time," the strange owl continued with a smirk.

DJ Grooves looked down in thought. Time Pieces? Is that what they were called? And they... rewind time? It's almost hard to believe but... Wait, Arthur and Hat Kid knew about them and already have lots of them? Does that mean... that they belong to them? Is this the reason why they came to the studio in the first place and accepted to be a part of his movies? To get them back? But... why didn't they say anything?

The disco penguin's thoughts were interrupted as the Conductor said, "With it, I'll be able to go back in time and reclaim the trophy that I lost to _DJ __**Peck Neck**_! And if anyone tries to stop me... well..." DJ Grooves' face grew pale as he watched the strange owl pick up a knife from his drawer. "They won't get a chance to. Heh... Ha! _Haha!_ _**GWAHAHAHAHAHA!**_"

At this very moment, the disco penguin's jaw dropped in horror as realization hit him. This bird that he was looking at... it wasn't the Conductor anymore. It was a person consumed by greed, who is obsessed with winning and has gone crazy over power. Someone willing to cause any harm to those who stand in his way and would stop at nothing before his goals were achieved. This was bad... This was REALLY bad! The Conductor was going to use the Time Piece to change the past and it certainly won't lead to anything good. He had to warn Arthur and Hat Kid at once!

Slowly, DJ Grooves took a step back from the door and began to sneak away. However, he accidentally bumped into a broom that was placed against the wall, knocking it over and creating a noise as it fell on the floor.

"Whadda what! Hey, who's there?!" he heard the Conductor shout in alarm from inside his office.

DJ Grooves gasped and quickly ran away in panic. Oh no, now the Conductor knew he was here and was probably gonna go after him to silence him for good! He had no time to waste! He had to find a way to contact the two children! He had to warn his little darlings!

**A/N: Hey everyone! So there it was: the Award Ceremony! And the Conductor is the winner as you all saw it, although it was no secret from the moment I revealed he was going to be the antagonist of the Battle of the Birds chapter section. But the Conductor is not off the hook, as DJ Grooves just found out about his _little secret_. I think you all know what's coming next, right? Exactly. The Conductor's Boss Battle! Get ready for it, folks!**

**Anyway, time to answer a few reviews!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Yeah, I always imagined DJ Grooves being so nice and caring towards Hat Kid. I mean, I saw his boss fight but it didn't really fit him in my opinion. I feel like the Conductor is best suited for the boss battle, although I like him too.**

_**To Shadow Necro:**_** Thanks! I really wanted to make some progress in my story, but at the time I was too exhausted by my temp job and therefore I felt unmotivated for a while. Now my motivation is coming back, slowly but surely.**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Thank you, I'm glad you like the story! I have the same opinion as you regarding the roles of the Conductor and DJ Grooves in the boss battle. And don't worry, I have a little something planned for the Conductor after the boss battle. ;)**

_**To Snowballs FF:**_** Thanks! Yeah, I didn't want Arthur to just be here in the story. I also wanted to make his role in the story important and make him have different interactions with the characters. I'm glad I managed to do that. Regarding the crow's formula. I knew that the formula on the blackboard was just scrambled letters and numbers like in an online form, but I never knew the name of the service. Good to know. About the boss battle, well, I'll let you see for yourself once I release the chapter. ;) And lastly, no, I'm not planning to add mods to the story. My story will stay on the vanilla game, with new scenes and different things I come up with. No mods though.**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Indeed, I always imagined DJ Grooves to have a caring side for Hat Kid (and Arthur in my story). Him as the boss of Battle of the Birds doesn't fit him in my opinion. And yeah, I've hinted in some of the chapters that the Time Pieces have something to do with Mustache Girl's behavior, as well as the Conductor. I'll add the full explanation in a future chapter.**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** Yeah, don't worry though. They were in good hands after the recording of The Big Parade. ;)**

**Alright! That's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Everything was quiet on the spaceship, aside from the sounds of Rumbi cleaning up the main room. Hat Kid was currently asleep in her bed; while Arthur was currently in the machine room, sitting against the wall and drawing. The young boy needed some time to clear his mind before heading to bed after what happened at the Award Ceremony today.

It was needless to say that he was still bitter and angry at the Conductor for treating them like expendable, meaningless trash cans since day one. Sure, maybe he did start acting nice after the premiere of his first movie, but it turned out it was only because he got a good score. Nothing else. The strange owl stated it himself: he didn't care about them. And it was further proven during the ceremony. In the end, the Conductor was like all the others: only thinking about himself and his damn success.

Well, it didn't matter anymore. They all got what they wanted: the Conductor got his victory and they got the Time Pieces. Now they had to focus on which place to go next to look for more Time Pieces.

Although Arthur couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling he got. He didn't know why but... he felt like there was still something left unfinished in Dead Bird Studio. Sure enough, there was no more movies to record and they got all of the Time Pieces, right? He shook his head, brushing off the thought. Maybe he was just overthinking...

Suddenly, the twelve-years-old boy jolted in surprise as a familiar ringtone was heard in the machine room. Looking around frantically, he noticed that the sound was coming from the phone next to the door leading to the main room. Wait, Hat Kid had a phone in her spaceship? He didn't know that. But why did it sound like the ringtone they heard multiple times during the recording of 'Murder on the Owl Express'? But most importantly, who was calling them? Well, since Hat Kid was in bed right now, he might as well answer for her.

Arthur put his drawing aside, then he got up to his feet and walked up to the phone. He picked it up and placed it against his ear.

"Uh, hello?" he asked through the phone. There was a short silence before he eventually received an answer. To his shock, it was the same scratchy and distorted voice that he heard during 'Murder on the Owl Express'.

_"The annual bird movie award was rigged. It was an inside job. The winner knows about the power of the Time Pieces. He's been keeping one and he's going to **break it**,"_ the person on the phone said. Arthur formed a shocked expression. The Conductor knew about the true power of the Time Pieces and he still had one left? Maybe that explained his behavior during the Award Ceremony... Hang on, he was planning to break the Time Piece? Ohhh, that wasn't good...

_"The truth lies buried underneath Dead Bird Studio. What goes on in Dead Bird Studio when no one is around?"_ the voice continued. _"Blow the cover on this thing, **darling**."_ Arthur's eyes widened in shock after hearing the way the person had just called him.

"'Darling'? DJ Grooves, is that-"

_***CLICK***_

They hung up before Arthur could finish his question.

"Dammit..." the young boy said, placing the phone back on the wall. This was bad! The Conductor had a Time Piece in his possession, and if he was planning to use it, then it would lead to nothing good. But why would he need a Time Piece though? Arthur shook his head. He had no time to ask himself questions. He had to warn Hat Kid at once, so they can stop the Conductor before he can turn back time.

Arthur began to make his way to Hat Kid's bedroom to wake her up and warn her about the situation. However, after reaching the main room, he came to a halt when he passed next to the hatch. As he glanced at said hatch, he began hesitating on telling Hat Kid about it. The Conductor had already sent her through an emotional rollercoaster during the ceremony. Plus, if he intended on using the Time Piece to rewind time, then chances are he won't be giving it up without a fight. Arthur was worried on how far the Conductor was willing to go to keep the Time Piece and how dangerous he could be. If he was like his own father then...

No, peck it! He was going to confront the Conductor _alone_. Hat Kid's life was more important than his. Without her, no one else will be able to protect the Time Pieces from being misused and the universe will be in danger. Him? Who cares? He was not important... So he had to try retrieving the Time Piece on his own. With a little luck and if the Conductor had at least the slight bit of common sense, Arthur might still be able to reason with him and avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

Having made his decision, the twelve-years-old boy went to his bed and picked up the sheet to use it as a parachute, before making his way to the hatch. As he placed his hand on the handle, a familiar voice suddenly spoke up, stopping him in his tracks.

"Where are you going?" they asked. Arthur sighed in annoyance as he recognized the voice.

"What do you want, jar-stache? I don't have time to listen to your jaw flap right now," he said annoyed, turning around to face the person who was none other than the Mafia Boss. Ever since the crime lord arrived on the spaceship after Mustache Girl turned his body into mush and put his remains in a jar, he would always complain, insult the duo or ranting about wanting to take revenge on them. However, he would immediately quiet down every time Arthur threatened to throw him out of the spaceship if he didn't shut up. Whatever the Mafia Boss had to say now, the young boy surely didn't have time for it.

"Stop calling me 'jar-stache', boy! It's rude!" the Mafia Boss said angrily, jumping up and down.

"What's rude is installing yourself into people's place without their consent, like you were the damn house chief," Arthur retorted with an unamused look.

"I already told you! It's repayment for the loss of my body!" the jarred crime lord reminded him bitterly.

"I think I would've prefered paying a bill rather than dealing with your company right now," Arthur said snarkily. The Mafia Boss fumed, jumping up and down in anger.

"Ugh, whatever! So where are you going anyway?" the crime lord asked again.

"Why do you care?" Arthur asked as he put his hands on his hips and raised an eyebrow at him.

"I don't. I'm simply curious," the Mafia Boss answered. The young boy rolled his eyes at him. He looked at the hatch, then back at the jarred crime lord with a sigh.

"I'm going to Dead Bird Studio. I got a call telling me that the Conductor still got a Time Piece left and he's gonna use it to rewind time. So I have to go there and stop that from happening," Arthur explained.

"Without the girl?" the Mafia Boss asked curiously, referring to Hat Kid.

"She doesn't need to be involved into this. I'm going _alone_," Arthur said. He then gave the jarred crime lord a stern look and added, "You wanna do me a favor? You keep your mouth shut and don't tell her about any of this. For now at least."

"Why?" the Mafia Boss asked.

Arthur sighed and said, "It's just something I gotta do. I don't know how dangerous it'll be, but Hat Kid's life is more important than mine and that's all you need to know. If I'm not back in a few hours, you can tell her that the Conductor still got one of her Time Pieces." He then formed a sad expression before adding, "And tell her... that I'm sorry and... I wish her good luck to find all the rest of the Time Pieces."

The Mafia Boss gave the boy an impressed look. Sure, he hated the boy for costing him his body and he wanted nothing more than kill him as revenge, but he had to admit he was impressed that Arthur was willing to sacrifice his own life for his friend. He admired his bravey, even if he was a rude little boy.

"Hm, okay then. If you wanna go, I'm not stopping you," the jarred crime lord said in an indifferent manner. Arthur rolled his eyes at him.

"Whatever, jar-stache. Anyway, I have to go now. And you keep quiet about it, you hear?" the twelve-years-old boy said with a serious look. The Mafia Boss simply made a shrug-like gesture with his body jar. Arthur sighed in annoyance at the lack of response from the jarred crime lord. Whatever, he had no time for that.

The young boy put his hand on the handle of the hatch. He closed his eyes and took a deep breathe, before forming a determined look and opening the hatch. Closing it behind him and readying his sheet, he jumped down to the planet below, leaving the Mafia Boss alone in the main room.

_'Hmm, well I didn't say 'yes' and he didn't say anything else, so... I guess that makes the promise invalid,"_ the jarred crime lord thought as he hopped away.

* * *

Arthur landed safely in the parking lot of Dead Bird Studio. Even though it was currently nighttime, he could still notice the lack of cars around here. However, he did spot the locomotive of the Owl Express parked on the nearby rails, which confirmed the presence of the Conductor inside the studio at the moment. There was no train car attached to the locomotive since most of them had been destroyed during the recording of 'Train Rush'.

Arthur shuddered while thinking of the recording session, which almost resulted in his death and the ones of Hat Kid and the Express Owls. He honestly didn't care if he died, but he couldn't let anyone else in his surroundings die too. Especially not Hat Kid, his only friend in this world or even his whole life... He shook his head. He had no time to dwell on that. He had to get in the studio and find the Conductor before he uses the Time Piece to rewind time.

The twelve-years-old boy left the sheet on the ground and walked towards the entrance. Sure enough, the automatic doors remained shut tight. The power inside the studio must have been turned off. He had to find another way to get inside the building.

Looking to the side, Arthur noticed a vent next to the entrance. Walking to it and crouching down in front of it, he looked through the tiny gaps in the vent cover. It seemed like it was leading to the reception. Good.

Arthur got up and pulled out his crowbar, then he used it to pry the vent cover open. He managed to do so after a few pulls, causing the cover to fall down on the ground. He crawled inside the vent and used his crowbar to pry open the second cover. Crawling out of the vent, he found himself in the reception. The lights were out and there was no sign of anyone here.

_'Perfect time if you wanted to plot something in here,'_ Arthur thought as he looked around the dark and empty room.

The Conductor had to be hiding somewhere in the studio. The question is where. Arthur then remembered something he heard during the phone call earlier.

_"The truth lies buried **underneath** Dead Bird Studio."_

Underneath Dead Bird Studio... Oh, that's it! There must be some sort of basement around here somewhere. If he can find it, then he will find the Conductor. Arthur remembered seeing an elevator in the saloon-type building on the Conductor's side of the studio. Perhaps he could use it to get to lower levels.

The young boy walked up to the double doors leading to the Conductor's side and tried opening them.

"Locked. Figures..." Arthur muttered.

He decided to try the doors leading DJ Grooves' side too, but they were also locked. Arthur sighed in frustration. How was he going to get in there? The boy looked up and saw that the vent above the reception still hasn't been closed off. The receptionist must have either forgotten or didn't have time to take care of it. Arthur shrugged. If he got in the studio through there the first time, he could go through that way again.

Using DJ Grooves' trophy case to climb up, Arthur reached the vent and crawled through it. He landed on the boxes and took the same path he used when he snuck inside the studio with Hat Kid the first time. He made it to the conveyor; however, since there was no power, he couldn't activate it.

Looking at the distance between the conveyor and the other side, he figured that he could be able to cross the gap with a double jump, followed by a dive. More confident about his abilities now, he made the jump with less hesitation than usual and successfully made it to the other side.

He was now on the Conductor's side of the studio. Just before heading to the saloon-like building, he spotted something at the edge of the platform on the left. Even though it was dark, he could recognize the form of a yarn. Arthur figured that Hat Kid would probably be happy to have it, so he decided to pick it up for her. He used a clothes shelf to reach the platform and grabbed the yarn, putting it in his pocket before going back. He then took the path leading to the saloon-like building and pushed down the cactus cutout that was blocking his way.

Once inside the building, he saw the elevator on the left. He approached it and noticed the button was lit up. Good, that means that the elevator still had power. Arthur pressed the button and the doors opened. He then stepped inside and pressed the down button. After the doors closed, the elevator began moving down to the lowest level of the studio.

* * *

Hat Kid yawned tiredly as she walked outside of her bedroom and into the main room. She was in her pajamas and she had her purple slippers on her feet. In the middle of the night, she suddenly got thirsty and decided to get a glass of water. Walking up the ramp, she made her way to the kitchen and poured some water into a glass, before drinking it. Now feeling refreshed, she put the empty glass in the sink and left the kitchen.

She was about to head back to her bedroom when her eyes landed on Arthur's bed. She noticed that it was empty and that the sheet was missing. She formed a confused expression. She figured that Arthur would already be sleeping by now, but that was apparently not the case. Was he still drawing? She made her way to the machine room to see if he was there.

"Arthur?" Hat Kid called her friend's name as she looked around the room. But the boy was nowhere to be seen. Where was he?

She checked the gallery room as well, but he wasn't there either. At this point, she began to worry. She searched around in the basement, but still no sign of him. Hat Kid was panicking. She ran back in the main room and looked around frantically. Where was he? Where did Arthur go? ...He... he didn't leave her, did he? The young girl shook her head. No, he wouldn't abandon her. He made the promise he would help her get her Time Pieces back, and as far as she knew, Arthur hated promise breakers. But if he wasn't in the spaceship, then where was he?

"If you're looking for your friend, he left moments ago," a familiar voice said from behind her. Hat Kid turned around and saw the Mafia Boss looking at her with a neutral expression. "He said he got a call telling him that one of your magical hourglasses was still left in Dead Bird Studio. Said that the... uh, I don't remember his name... Constructor, I think? That he had it and was going to use it." Hat Kid looked at the jarred crime lord confused before her eyes widened. The Conductor, he meant? He still had one of her Time Pieces and was planning to break it? Oh, that wasn't good... but why Arthur didn't come warn her?

"Your friend said that he was gonna try to get it alone. Told me that your life was more important than his. From the sound of it, I think he knew there are chances that he won't be coming back alive, but he wanted to go anyway. I gotta give it to him: he's brave. Foolish but brave," the Mafia Boss said.

Hat Kid gasped in horror. Arthur was going to confront the Conductor alone just to keep her safe? What was he thinking? If the Conductor already knows about the power of the Time Pieces, then she knew that he won't give it up without a fight. She knew too well about the side effect of the Time Pieces and what it makes people do when they learn about it. Plus, unlike her, Arthur was still new to fighting. He was going to get himself killed if he confronts the Conductor on his own.

"He asked me to not tell you about it yet, but eh, I never said 'yes' so... here you go," the jarred crime lord said. Hat Kid gave him a surprised and curious look. Why would he tell her about all this? She thought he hated both her and Arthur and wanted them dead?

The Mafia Boss noticed her confused expression and said, "Consider this as a thank you for saving my town when the little mustached pest flooded it in lava," in a genuine, appreciative tone. Hat Kid was surprised to hear the Mafia Boss thank her for saving Mafia Town, but she eventually smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up.

"But it's the only favor I'm doing for you! I'm still planning to get my revenge on the both of you eventually!" he added, going back to his usual angry self. As a response, Hat Kid pushed down one of her eyelids with her finger and blew a raspberry at him, causing the Mafia Boss to hop up and down angrily.

"Urghhh! You two are **rude** children!" the jarred crime lord spat, glaring at the young alien. He then huffed and said, "Whatever! I said what I had to say. If you wanna catch up with your friend, it's now or never. Now go and leave me be!". And with that, the Mafia Boss hopped away to get some peace and quiet.

After watching the jarred crime lord leave, Hat Kid didn't waste any more time, running back to her bedroom to get changed. Arthur was in danger, she had to save him! She changed her pajamas with her regular outfit as quickly as she could, placing her purple top hat on her head and grabbing her umbrella. Then she immediately headed back to the main room and made her way to the hatch. She opened it and jumped off, aiming for Dead Bird Studio.

* * *

After going down into the depths of Dead Bird Studio, the doors of the elevator opened.

"Alright. Where the hell are you hiding now, Conductor?" Arthur said as he stepped out of the elevator.

The twelve-years-old boy found himself in a small room with a pile of mails on the floor and a shelf with boxes stacked under it. He spotted a door at the end of the room, though he also saw two security cameras facing it. Arthur decided that it was best to avoid them, because if the Conductor was watching the camera monitors and spotted him, he will undoubtedly try to make off with the Time Piece or try to use it immediately. He couldn't let the Conductor know he was here, therefore he couldn't go through that door with the cameras on.

Looking for another way in, Arthur noticed a gap at the top of the wall. Perhaps he could get through there instead. He made a double jump to get on top of the shelf with the crates under it, then he walked on a wireline to reach the gap. He jumped and grabbed onto the edge, crawled through the gap, and managed to get to other side of the wall undetected.

After landing on some boxes, he saw a large window on the wall and decided to look through it. He could see huge piles of crates all neatly stacked up with a few platforms, springboards, and some security cameras. It was probably the storage room. From behind the window, Arthur spotted some kind of entrance at the top of the piles of crates. The boy figured that the Conductor might be somewhere in there, which means he would have to get through that entrance to find him. He also spotted a couple of yarns lying around in the storage room, so he made a mental note to pick them up if he can and give them back to Hat Kid once he returns... if he makes it back that is. Arthur shook his head, dismissing the thought. For now, he had to find a way to get into the storage place.

The young boy headed down the ramp leading to the next room. There was an empty deep gap with electric wirelines and metallic pipes above it. A few walkways were visible on the other side of the gap, which appeared to be leading to the storage room. Arthur also saw a cabin on the right. Perhaps it could lead him to the storage room as well or at least to one of those walkways. He made his way to the door of the cabin – despite the 'dissuasive' signs placed in front of it – and tried to open it, but it was locked. Dammit. Looks like the only way was to get across the gap by jumping on the wirelines and the pipes. Just his luck... Good thing he still had that badge that the Badge Seller gave him.

Although with some hesitation at the beginning, the twelve-years-old boy began crossing the gap, walking on the pipes and hopping from wireline to wireline. While doing it, he made sure to be cautious of the electric soundwaves the wirelines emitted. Getting an electric shock was the last thing he needed in this kind of situation and that could cause him to fall to his death. Thankfully, he managed to get across and reach solid ground, using a springboard to get to an upper level.

"I've kept this Time Piece _compleeeetely_ secret," a muffled and distant voice was suddenly heard, causing Arthur to freeze in place. The boy looked around frantically, but saw no one around. The voice came from somewhere else, probably deeper in the basement. Some more mumbling that Arthur couldn't make out was heard, before he eventually understood the following sentence. "The lad and the lass don't know about it. No one told them, right? Good! They've got plenty, they don't need this one!"

The twelve-years-old boy frowned as he recognized the voice. It was the Conductor. He was either talking to himself or with someone else. The person on the phone – which he suspected to be DJ Grooves – was right; the Conductor had been keeping a Time Piece to himself the _whole damn time_. Not only the strange owl endangered him and Hat Kid on his train, insulted them and kicked them out of the studio even after helping him win, but he also hid a Time Piece from them too? This bird was the _**WORST**_! Whatever! Arthur was determined on getting this Time Piece back no matter what, and if he had to knock some sense into the Conductor for that, then he will.

The young boy climbed on top of crates and got on one of the walkways. He then spotted a door with a sign saying 'Storage Room'. However, the door was boarded up. Arthur sighed in frustration. He will have to find another way in **again**. Before going back, he looked on the left and spotted a yarn sitting on top of an air duct. He jumped on it and picked it up, before going back on the walkway.

Arthur spotted a couple of pipes which appeared to be giving him access to the other walkway above him. He jumped on them, then did a wall jump and a dive to reach the walkway. He spotted another door, but this one was boarded up too; so he continued walking up, not before grabbing another yarn that was in the corner on top of another pipe.

He then saw a door on the platform across the gap, with 'B2' written on the wall next to it. However, the walkway was busted, and this time there was no pipe or wireline to jump on to reach the platform. How was he going to get across? Arthur looked up and spotted some broken hanging lights. As he stared at them, he then remembered the Hookshot Badge that the Badge Seller sold him during Train Rush. Maybe he could use this ability to get across?

He pulled out his crowbar and looked at the grappling parkour he had to make. A wave of anxiety took him, so he had to take a moment to breathe and prevent himself from hyperventilating. He calmed down after a few seconds, then formed a determined expression. He could do this. He already used that ability in a much more intense situation during Train Rush. If he made it back then, he can do it again.

He aimed his crowbar at the first hanging light and pressed the button, sending the hook forward and latching onto the light. Remembering the series of grappling he made during Train Rush, he swung from hanging light to hanging light until he eventually landed on the platform.

_'Well, damn. I'm certainly getting more exercise than back home,'_ Arthur thought, breathing heavily as he looked back at the large gap he just crossed.

After recovering for a few seconds, Arthur walked through the door, passing by the movie-filled shelves on the sides. Looking around, he immediately recognized the storage room he saw earlier. Good, he made it! Now he needed to reach the entrance he spotted through the window before, which means he will have to climb up all of these huge piles of crates. Great, more exercise for him... Nonetheless, the young boy immediately began making his way up on said piles, using springboards, wirelines, and sandbags, avoiding the security cameras, and grabbing the yarns he came across.

During his climb, he froze in place when he heard the Conductor's muffled voice through the walls again.

"Bah! Maybe we should **blow it up**! I got the bomb from Train Rush here. Should I use it?" A short silence occured before Arthur heard the Conductor continue talking. "Wait... Maybe I should keep it in case _someone_ shows up. _**Eh he he he**_."

Arthur's eyes widened in shock. The Conductor really seems to have lost his mind. He suddenly had a feeling that the confrontation with him will be way worse than the time his father... The boy shuddered at the thought, then shook his head. He didn't want to remember this moment...

Suddenly, he heard the Conductor ask, "Oh, by the way, have yer found that blasted DJ yet? I think he heard me talking about the Time Piece in my room before." Short silence. "No? Then hurry up and find him, you buncha peck necks! I don't want him spilling the beans and ruining everything!"

Arthur rose an eyebrow in confusion. Blasted DJ? He then gasped in realization. The Conductor must be talking about DJ Grooves. Therefore, his suspicions were confirmed: DJ Grooves was the guy from the phone call earlier. That means the disco penguin must be somewhere in the studio too at the moment, probably trying to hide from the Conductor. Arthur hoped he was okay. Unfortunately, he had no time to go look for him. He had to find the Conductor and prevent him from using the Time Piece. Hopefully, DJ Grooves can hold on until Arthur gets the Time Piece back.

"Gotta hurry..." Arthur whispered to himself before he continued making his way up to the entrance.

* * *

After landing in the parking lot, Hat Kid made a straight beeline for Dead Bird Studio, determined to find Arthur before something bad happens to him. She had noticed the sheet from the boy's bed on the ground, which clearly confirmed that he went inside recently. She ran up to the automatic doors, but they remained closed since there was no power. She then spotted the vent on the side with the cover on the ground. Figuring Arthur might have gone through there, she crawled in it. Once in the reception, she climbed on DJ Grooves' trophy case to reach the open vent and crawled in there. She then landed on the crates and made her way across the studio.

She eventually found the elevator and, after seeing the light coming out of the button, figured that Arthur might have used it. She pressed the button, calling the elevator. Once the doors opened, Hat Kid rushed in and pressed the down button.

While the elevator was moving down, Hat Kid was playing with her hands nervously, a worried expression clearly visible on her face. She hoped that Arthur hadn't met the Conductor yet. If the strange owl had a Time Piece and was planning to use it, then he must have somehow found out about its power. And Hat Kid knew what happened when people other than her species discover the true power of the Time Pieces.

She hadn't told Arthur yet but... when someone with strong desires learns about this power, the Time Piece corrupts their senses and causes them to try using it to change the past in order to obtain everything they desire by any means possible. It usually results in violent behavior from the person, making them attempt to harm or even kill whoever they believe might stand in their way. Mustache Girl was a perfect example of that occurrence.

Sure, getting the Time Piece back was important, but Hat Kid was more concerned about Arthur. Perhaps he was hoping to reason with the Conductor to give him the Time Piece back, but Hat Kid knew it wasn't going to work. Therefore, Arthur was in danger and she had to find him quick!

Hat Kid closed her eyes and took a deep breathe, before saying, "Please be safe, Arthur."

* * *

After going through the entrance, Arthur had to activate four pressure panels to open a metallic gate that was blocking the way. The young boy had to do a bit jumping, climbing, balancing on wirelines and wall jumping to get to each panel. Not only that, but he also had to avoid a few security cameras, some Express Owls patrolling, and a group of C.A.W. agents from 'Murder on the Owl Express' telling jokes to each others. From the looks of it, the Conductor had some backup from his fellow owls, which will make retrieving the Time Piece a little more difficult if he was not alone.

Once the gate was open, Arthur made his way through it and arrived inside the conference room. 'B3' was written on the wall. He must be getting close now, the Conductor had to be around here somewhere.

After exiting the room, the young boy made his way through the offices while avoiding the cameras, passing by the rooms of DJ Grooves and the Conductor, and eventually grabbing a yarn inside one of the rooms used as a scene for DJ Grooves' movies.

The offices were quiet. No sign of the Conductor or any Express Owl around here. However, something caught his attention while he was walking through one of the hallways. On a board was a drawing of familiar red-hooded person... Arthur gasped. It was Mustache Girl. She was drawn standing on top of the planet with an evil smile and Time Pieces floating around her, along with the words 'Mu was here' written next to the drawing.

"Oh, that ain't good..." Arthur said in a worried tone. With everything that happened recently, he had completely forgotten about her. But wait... Does that mean she was the one who told the Conductor about the Time Pieces? If that was the case, then that would explain how the strange owl knew about their power.

Suddenly, something else next to the drawing caught the boy's attention. There were two frowning faces with hats, representing both Hat Kid and Arthur, with stink lines coming out of them. They were accompanied by two sentences: 'Hat Kid smells' and... 'Arthur's hat is _stupid_'. Arthur's eye twitched as anger built inside him. Did Mustache Girl just... _**insult **_his hat?!

_"Why are you wearing that stupid cowboy hat? It's so ugly!"_

The sudden memory sent Arthur through a fit of rage, and he let out an angry scream as he punched the board right where the drawing of Mustache Girl was as hard he could. Big mistake.

"Fffffff- AAAHH! God pecking _**DAMMIT!**_" the young boy yelled out, comically jumping around the place as he clutched his hand in pain. He then looked around, hoping no one heard him. Thankfully, it didn't seem to be the case, but now he felt like a total idiot. As he shook his hand a little to ease the pain, he glanced back at the drawing on the board and glared at it, before walking away.

Progressing further in the offices, he entered a large room through a vent and spotted three different posters on the wall. They were about the Conductor's most recent movies: 'Murder on the Owl Express', 'Train Rush', and 'Once Upon a Time on the Owl Express'. The twelve-years-old boy stared at the latter and sighed sadly, remembering that it was the one that the Conductor gave him after the premiere of the murder mystery movie. Arthur had to admit, he missed talking about western movies with the strange owl. For a moment, it seemed like they were just starting to get along... until the Conductor screwed it up with his damn ego and obsession with winning the award. And he didn't even need to mention the current situation involving the last Time Piece.

While staring at the posters – as great as they turned out – Arthur then realized some things. First, neither he or Hat Kid gave the movie directors permission to use their images in marketing. Second, they didn't sign any contract for anything here. And lastly... they didn't even get paid for being a part of the movies. Arthur groaned in anger and frustration. They had been working for _free and illegally_ this entire time! No pons, nothing, aside from the Time Pieces.

He sighed in defeat. It didn't matter, his focus was getting the Time Piece back. Speaking of which, he should hurry. It was a matter of time before the Conductor uses the Time Piece, and the last thing he needed was having to deal with a time rift or something worse. Without wasting any more time, he went back to the task at hand, going through vents, walkways, even jumping above a wood-cutting machine... Seriously, who would put that there?

Eventually, after exiting another vent, he arrived in front of an elevator. Several signs saying 'No **humans** allowed' and 'Restricted Area. No **kids**' were pinned on the wall and placed in front of the elevator. If these signs were placed there, then that means only one thing...

"Looks like I found your hideout, Conductor," Arthur said, staring at the elevator. That was it... It was time to confront the Conductor. Hopefully, he can still reason with him and no harm will be done on either side.

The young boy walked up to the elevator and pressed the button. The doors opened and he stepped inside.

As he looked at the down button, Arthur took a huge breathe and said, "Here goes nothing," before pressing it. The doors closed and the elevator cage began moving down.

Something in his guts told him that things won't happen quite as he hopes they will, but he had to do it nonetheless. Hat Kid was counting on him to help her get her Time Pieces back and that's what he was gonna do. If he dies tonight... well... it'll be as it is. In any case, there was no turning back now...

* * *

Hat Kid kept her eyes peeled as she made her way through the storage room, looking around for any sign of Arthur or the Conductor. Her umbrella in hand, she made sure to keep her guard up in case someone tried to attack her. So far, the basement looked quiet and deserted, but she still wasn't going to risk getting jumped on by the Conductor or anyone who worked for him. She was also trying to figure out where Arthur might have gone. At this point, he was probably further ahead in the basement. Hopefully, not too far.

As she came around the corner of a pile of boxes, she suddenly bumped into someone, causing her to fall on her back. As a reflex, she bounced back on her feet and got in a fighting stance. However, she soon relaxed after taking a good look at the person she bumped into. It was DJ Grooves! What was he doing here? No matter, she was glad to see him.

"Darling! Oh, am I glad to see you!" the disco penguin said with a reassured smile. "The Conductor sent his Express Owls after me after I eavesdropped on him and found out he had one of your Time Pieces. I'm relieved you got my call." Hat Kid's eyes widened. So it was him who called Arthur and told him that the Conductor had one of her Time Pieces? DJ Grooves then noticed that Arthur wasn't around and looked at Hat Kid curiously.

"Arthur isn't with you?" he asked. However, he soon got his answer after seeing Hat Kid's troubled expression. He formed a worried look and asked, "He... he went on ahead without you, did he?" Hat Kid slowly nodded with a distressed look.

"Oh darling, I-I... Wait, I think I know where the Conductor is holed up. If we hurry, we can catch up with your friend there!" DJ Grooves said quickly. Hat Kid gave him a thankful look and nodded.

Without wasting any more time, the duo ran off to get to the Conductor's hideout and save Arthur before it was too late.

**A/N:**** Hello, everyone! Finally got this chapter wrapped up! I'm sorry about the delay, I just had a bit of lack of motivation to write recently. Thankfully, I was able to finish this chapter. Honestly, writing the parts where the characters progress through the place is probably the most boring thing to write in a story. I prefer writing the conversations and interactions between the different characters. It's way more fun.**

**Anyway, you can all imagine what's going to happen next, right? Yeaaaah, you do. It's Boss Fight time! This is going to be... interesting.**

**Alright! Time to answer reviews! And boy, there's a lot of 'em!**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Yep, the knife. Nothing happened in this chapter yet, but the next one... Oh boy, it's gonna be something! And yeah, Arthur has been mistreated all his life and that caused him to suffer from depression, anxiety, and lack of self-confidence – which is why he has a hard time believing he did anything good. But don't worry, some characters will soon make him understand that he made good deeds. Anyway, thank you!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Wrong theme too. *smug face* Yeah, I'm okay. I just had some lack of motivation to write recently. But I'm doing okay!**

_**To Rub37:**_** Thanks! I thought I did mention at the beginning of the story, but yeah, I'm gonna include both DLCs in the story. Get ready for one long story!**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** Indeed. May the 'fun'... begins... Anyway, thank you!**

_**To WolfGirl01:**_** Yeah, I think the same. Anyway, thank you!**

_**To Snowball FF:**_** Unfortunately, I don't plan on implementing Death Wish in this story. However, if I do end up writing a sequel (nothing confirmed here), I'll make sure to mention it. About the boss battle... as you can see, I've decided to make Arthur try to take on the Conductor alone. Unfortunately, it's something I have planned from the beginning and it's close to my inspirations, but I don't like changing my plans at the last moment unless I really think it fits my story better. So I'm keeping it that way, and hopefully it'll still be good enough. Anyway, thank you. I'm glad you like the development I'm making on Arthur's character. And to answer your last question... the base game will come first, then Seal Cruise, Nyakuza Metro, then the Final Boss.**

_**To Guest:**_** You'll have to wait and see.**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** Whoops, sorry! XD Don't worry though, the Conductor is not as bad as you think. You gotta wait and see. ;)**

_**To HexoSpikeZ:**_** Thank you so much, it really means a lot! I do my best to give the characters more life and personality, to make feel like Arthur belongs in the story without being forced in, and have some serious topics while keeping a comedy side in the story. So I'm really glad all of it together is working out very well. And to answer your last question... Unfortunately, Bow Kid is not gonna appear in this story. However, if I make a sequel (nothing confirmed yet), I'll make sure to add her. ;)**

**Alrighty! That's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The elevator reached its destination. The doors opened, allowing Arthur to step out of the elevator cage. He was now in a room that appeared to be large and the flooring was made of wooden planks with just a metallic circle producing a faint red light at the center of the room. However, the lights were off, so he couldn't really tell what kind of room it was.

The place was quiet. Too quiet... Where is the Conductor? Arthur was starting to have a bad feeling about that... He walked slowly, keeping his guard up and eyes peeled. When he reached the center of the room, a spotlight suddenly shone on him, causing him to jolt in surprise and place his arms in front of his eyes to shield them from the sudden light.

"What the..." Arthur said confused.

Suddenly, another spotlight shone on a stage at the end of the room, revealing the one Arthur was looking for. The Conductor was here... His back was turned and his hands were behind his back. The strange owl let out a dark chuckle, then he slowly turned around to face Arthur, while keeping his hands behind his back.

"Oh ho hoooo, look who we've got here! I guess yer found my lil' basement, eh?" the Conductor said with an evil grin. Peck... Looks like he was expecting him. Well, he was here now so... he might as well try to reason with him first.

"I sure did... I think you know why I'm here, Conductor," Arthur said in a serious tone. The grin on the Conductor's face grew wider.

"Oh I do, lad. I do... You came for _this_," the strange owl said, pulling out his last Time Piece to show it to him. Arthur narrowed his eyes upon seeing it. So it was true... He really had been keeping a Time Piece to himself all along. Well, time for negotiations...

"Listen, that thing ain't no toy. It's more dangerous than you can imagine. Just give it back, and then we'll go our separate ways," the twelve-years-old boy said, extending his hand forward and hoping that the Conductor would hand him the hourglass over. However, the movie director simply snickered and shook his head.

"I don't think so. This last Time Piece is all **mine**. If yer want it, yer gonna have to take it from me _**cold, dead hands!**_" the Conductor snarled defiantly as he put the Time Piece back in his pocket. Arthur sighed and shook his head in disappointment. He kinda expected this sort of answer. Oh well... at least he gave him a chance.

"I was hoping it'd never come to this, Conductor, but you leave me no choice," the young boy said as he pulled out his crowbar. He glared at the Conductor, then added through gritted teeth, "I'm gonna have to knock some sense into you."

The strange owl grinned wickedly and excitedly, before saying, "Ohhhh, it's **on**, laddy!". He then snapped his fingers and, suddenly, the lights went on.

Startled by that, Arthur looked around the room and could finally see where he was. He was inside an old theatre with western-related decorations, jukeboxes, cutouts of cactus and the Conductor's face, and a big red sign with the Conductor's name on it was pinned against the wall above the stage. But that wasn't all... On the sides were wooden bleachers filled with Express Owls who all cheered, excited for the fight to come. Arthur couldn't believe it. Was he really going to be put on the spot again like last time?

The Conductor chuckled evilly and said, "Cameras. Lights. **ACTION!**". And then, the fight begun...

The Conductor leaped up to the roof of the bleachers, grabbing onto the edge, then he lunged at Arthur. The boy quickly rolled out of the way to avoid getting squashed. As the Conductor got up, Arthur quickly ran up to him and whacked him across the face with his crowbar.

The strange owl yelped in pain, but he quickly recovered and jumped back on the stage. He pulled out some sort of remote control from his pocket and pressed a button. The ceiling opened and a golden disco ball suddenly came out of it, hanging in the air. The Conductor jumped on the ball.

"Here we... **GO!**" he shouted, pressing another button on his remote. As soon as he did, the disco ball detached itself from the ceiling and fell on the ground, shattering on impact.

The strength of the impact triggered a slight earthquake, causing Arthur to stumble back on the ground. As he sat up, he noticed a shockwave created by the disco ball coming right at him. Reacting quickly, he got up and jumped over the wave as it passed under his feet.

Seeing that his attack didn't work, the Conductor jumped back on the stage and whistled loudly. Some Express Owls pulled a few levers, causing spotlights to be dropped on the ground.

"Pecking hell!" Arthur shouted in panic, raising both of his arms above his head instinctively, as he ran around to avoid getting crushed by any of the spotlights. Thankfully, he managed to avoid all of them.

The Conductor growled in annoyance and tried lunging at him again. However, Arthur dodged him and whacked him with his crowbar again. The strange owl then attempted to use his disco ball attack once more.

"Ladies and... **gentlemen!**" he yelled out as the disco ball fell on the ground again.

This time, Arthur was prepared, and he jumped right before the impact and avoided the incoming shockwave as well. Then he ran up to the Conductor and whacked him across the face once more. Now, the movie director was growing irritated and he jumped back on the stage.

"I can't believe I let yer **peck necks** on me train, only to have _**yer**_ be the troublemakers!" the Conductor shouted angrily, stomping his foot on the ground repeatedly. Then, to Arthur's horror, he pulled out a knife. Not a rubber knife like in 'Murder of the Owl Express'. An_ actual_ knife made of _steel_.

The Conductor jumped down, then suddenly the lights went off. Despite that, Arthur was still able to see the blade in the dark.

"This one ain't rubber!" the strange owl shouted as he suddenly charged at Arthur with his knife.

"Holy crap!" the young boy shouted as he quickly dodged to the side to avoid getting stabbed.

The lights went back on, and Arthur was left in shock as he stared at the Conductor. Holy peck! He just tried to stab him! A _**KID**_! Who in their right mind would try to stab a kid?! The Conductor had definitely lost it!

The strange owl chuckled darkly, then began swinging his knife at Arthur in all directions. The latter dodged his attacks as best as he could, before performing a homing attack on his head in retaliation. It caused the Conductor to drop his knife and stumble back on the ground in a sitting position.

"How dare yer!" the movie director shouted angrily as he rubbed his head, before picking up his knife and getting up to his feet.

"Come on, Conductor! Stand down! This has gone too far already!" Arthur said, attempting to reason with him once more. However, the Conductor refused to listen.

"**NO!** This Time Piece is mine and MINE ALONE! And yer won't stop me, laddie!" he spat stubbornly. Arthur sighed and shook his head in disappointment.

"Fine then," the twelve-years-old boy muttered angrily. He attempted to hit the Conductor with his crowbar. However, the strange owl saw it coming and dodged it, before jumping back on stage. He decided to try his disco ball attack again.

"Here we..." the Conductor began to say as he jumped on the disco ball. He pressed the button on his remote. However, there seemed to be a problem with it, since nothing happened. The strange owl punched his remote multiple times in frustration, trying to get it work. Then the disco ball suddenly fell unexpectedly, causing the Conductor to yelp in surprise. "GO!" he finally finished his sentence as the ball hit the ground, creating a shockwave. Arthur was able to avoid it and managed to land another hit on the movie director.

For the next moments, the Conductor continued throwing various attacks at Arthur, which consisted of the disco ball, the spotlight droppings, and the knife attacks. However, the young boy managed to dodge them all – he only got a few close calls, like when the Conductor's knife passed inches away from his face. When he had a chance, Arthur would either whack, do homing attacks, or jump on the Conductor's head.

After some hits, the strange owl began to grow more and more impatient. As he jumped back on the stage after failing his previous attack, the Conductor let out an angry growl as he stared daggers at Arthur.

"How could you do this to me, laddie?!" he asked in a hurt and betrayed tone. Arthur stared at him with a mix of confusion and anger. The Conductor was the one who betrayed him and was trying to kill him at the moment. And he dares asking that?! What an hypocrite!

"That's rich, coming from you," Arthur retorted angrily. The Conductor only growled in response, then he whistled.

Suddenly, four Express Owls driving cars entered the theatre and circled around Arthur. The young boy watched the cars in shock as they kept driving around him. Suddenly, two of them changed direction and attempted to run Arthur over. The latter immediately reacted by jumping out of the way. The cars missed him and crashed into each other, causing them to be sent flying away and out of the room. The two remaining cars tried to do the same, but Arthur dodged them too.

However, the Conductor had more tricks up his sleeve. He tried his disco ball attack again, and this time, a flash occured and two life-sized pictures of the ball appeared on both of his sides. The first picture fell on the ground and to Arthur's surprise it created the same effect as the regular disco ball. Not expecting it, the young boy was bounced up in the air. He didn't have time to react when the second picture dropped on the floor. It caused him to bounce up again, but it did him a favor at the same time since it made him go over the shockwave caused by the first picture. Then the real disco ball finally fell on the ground, bouncing Arthur up over the second shockwave.

Unfortunately, the twelve-years-old boy didn't have enough time to get up and he got hit by the last shockwave as a result. Arthur yelped in pain as an electric shock ran through his body for a short period of time. The Conductor smirked in satisfaction after seeing the boy get hit. However, Arthur was not done yet. He quickly recovered and got up to his feet, grimacing as he did. That shockwave sure hurt like hell.

The Conductor decided to use his knife attack again with the same tactic as before. He pulled out his knife and a flash occured again, creating two life-sized pictures of the strange owl at his sides. The lights went out again, and there was not just one but **three** knives looming in the dark. The first two knives were thrown at Arthur one at a time, but the latter dodged them.

"Slice of life!" the Conductor shouted as he charged at the boy with his knife. Arthur quickly rolled out of the way.

As the lights went back on, the young boy tried to whack the Conductor with his crowbar. However, the strange owl anticipated that and ducked before he could get hit, then he swung his knife at Arthur. The tip of the blade grazed the boy's face, causing him to yelp in pain and take a few steps back. Arthur touched his left cheek with his fingers and looked down at them. His jaw dropped in horror after seeing blood on his fingers, realizing that the Conductor made a cut on his cheek. While he was distracted, the Conductor suddenly ran at him and tackled him to the ground, causing him to drop his crowbar and lose his hat.

Getting on top of him, the strange owl raised his knife up in the air, then brought it down to stab the boy. However, Arthur reacted quickly and grabbed the Conductor's wrists before the knife could reach his chest. The young boy tried his best to restrain the movie director's knife while the latter tried to force it down on him. Sweat was dripping from Arthur's forehead. The Conductor was physically stronger than him, he won't be able to restrain the knife for too long.

"Yer going to die!" the Conductor said tauntingly with a crazed smile.

"No doubt..." Arthur muttered. Was this really the end?

During his struggle, the twelve-years-old boy then eyed the Conductor's hands and he suddenly got an idea. He brought his head up, avoiding the knife as he did, and bit the strange owl's left hand as hard as he could. The Conductor let out a piercing scream as Arthur continued to bite his hand. The former got up and backed away to get his hand out of the boy's mouth. As it left it, Arthur could taste blood in his mouth.

The Conductor stared at his hand in horror as it trembled. Blood was dripping from the bite mark and onto the floor. Arthur actually managed to make an open wound in the movie director's hand.

"You... you bit me! Y-you pecking animal!" the strange owl shouted with a shocked look.

Arthur spat the small amount of blood he had in his mouth on the floor, then said, "You had it coming," while glaring at the Conductor.

The strange owl then growled angrily and said, "Alright, laddie. I think it's time ye and I have a _little chat_..."

And suddenly, the lights went off again. Arthur quickly grabbed his hat and placed it back on his head, before picking up his crowbar and getting up to his feet. He looked around cautiously, ready to hit the Conductor if he tried to attack him again.

Suddenly, a spotlight shone on the stage. However, instead of the Conductor, it was an Express Owl sitting behind a piano and playing a relaxing tune. Arthur grew confused. What the hell was that? Where did the Conductor go? Then, another spotlight shone in the middle of the room, revealing a table with two seats. The Conductor was sitting on one, while the other was empty.

"Let's have a little heart-to-heart. Have a seat, laddie," the strange owl said, his elbow resting on the table. Arthur raised an eyebrow at him skeptically. Was this a trick? Why did he suddenly want to talk now after stubbornly trying to kill him? The Conductor could see the boy's suspicion and said, "Now now, lad, don't be shy. Like I said, I just want the two of us to have a chat." He motioned to the empty chair across the table with his injured hand.

Arthur stared at the chair, then at the Conductor. Well, judging by his face, he seemed genuine about that talk. Maybe he could use that moment to learn more about the Conductor's reasons for wanting to use the Time Piece. And well, it would allow him to catch his breathe for a bit. This fight had certainly been more intense and tiring than the Mafia Boss's. Keeping his crowbar in hand just in case it was a trick, Arthur made his way to the chair and sat down on it, waiting for the Conductor to speak.

"Ever since you and the lass arrived on this planet, these Time Pieces have been falling from the sky," the Conductor explained, staring out in the distance. "Now, I can understand if you feel they belong to you. I get it. But did yer know they can rewind time?" he asked, looking back at Arthur.

"As a matter of fact, yeah I do," the young boy answered, confirming his knowledge about the power of the Time Pieces. The Conductor grinned at the response.

"You see, lad. With one Time Piece, I could reclaim the trophy that belongs to me! I think you know which one I'm talking about, right?" the strange owl said, giving Arthur a knowing look. The boy looked at him confused for a few seconds. Suddenly, his eyes widened in realization as he remembered the story that the Conductor told him back in his office after the premiere of 'Murder on the Owl Express'.

"You mean..." Arthur began to say.

"Ding ding ding! That's right, the loss of award 42! I got 2nd place at the 42nd annual bird award! **Me!** Can you imagine? DJ Grooves managed to get the 1st place trophy!" The Conductor explained bitterly, frowning at the memory. "I just need one Time Piece to fix this mistake. Can't you and the lass spare just _one_ Time Piece?" he then asked in a pleading tone.

So THAT'S what he wanted all along. The Conductor wanted to use the Time Piece to go back in time and reclaim the trophy that he lost to DJ Grooves during the 42nd annual bird movie award. However, Arthur frowned. The strange owl's purpose to use the Time Piece was based on a selfish desire. He already got more trophies than anyone could ever have and he **still** wants more?

"You already got almost all of 'em. Ain't that enough to you?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Come on, lad! It's me whole career! My _passion_! Even you can understand that, laddie. We both talked about our shared love for western stories before, yer saw how much it matters to me!" the Conductor insisted. Arthur sighed deeply in exasperation. "One Time Piece is all I ask. Come on, laddie... A little favor for an old passionated owl?"

Arthur stared at the Conductor for a moment, before he shook his head. Sure, maybe the two of them have similar tastes in terms of movies, but this whole thing... it has gone too far. The strange owl tried to kill him just moments ago. He was crazy and dangerous, so leaving a Time Piece in his possession was a bad idea. And besides Arthur knew that time travel is something that should never be toyed with, especially when it involves Time Pieces. The time rifts were a perfect example of that. And finally, the Time Pieces belong to Hat Kid. They were her property, and not anyone else's. So giving that weird-looking owl a Time Piece is a no-no.

"Sorry, Conductor. This Time Piece belongs to Hat Kid, and even if it was mine, I'd never hand it over to you. Time travel is not a toy. It has consequences that you might never be able to undo. And after everything you did, no way in hell I'm letting you keep the Time Piece," Arthur said firmly. After hearing this, the Conductor's smile turned into a scowl. All he asks is a single Time Piece, but this lil' peck neck refuses to share, even though he and the lass have plenty of them? The mustached girl was right; they were both selfish brats!

The strange owl then formed a wicked grin and said, "Heh. You're a _**greedy**_ young lad, aren't yer? I just need a single one, and yer won't share?"

"It's not a matter of greediness, Conductor. It's a matter of _**safety**_," Arthur retorted, glaring at him angrily.

The Conductor only huffed in disbelief and said, "Well, if you want this Time Piece back _so bad_, **come and get it!**". He then snapped his fingers. Suddenly, the spotlights went off and the relaxing tune stopped playing.

"Dammit!" Arthur swore as he got up from his chair and looked around frantically, readying his crowbar. Suddenly, he felt something getting attached to his back, causing him to jolt in surprise.

"The hell?" he said in confusion as he touched whatever was attached to his back. It felt a bit heavy, some parts were metallic, others were made of plastic, and there were wires, an antenna... Wait, was that a _beeping_? Arthur's face suddenly grew pale as realization hit him. It was a **bomb**! The Conductor put a pecking bomb on his back! He tried to remove it, but in vain. Damn, this is bad!

The lights went back on in the room, and the Conductor was back on the stage. He looked at Arthur with a deranged smile.

"Remember this lil' bomb? This time it's attached to you instead of me lovely train... _**eh he he he!**_" the strange owl said, laughing maniacally. Arthur couldn't believe it. This guy was a goddamn psychopath!

The young boy sighed in disappointment and angrily said, "I helped you win the annual bird movie award, Conductor, and this is how you thank me?! By putting a bomb on my back?!".

"And you, laddie? Hmm? Not only did yer hide the truth 'bout the power of those props, but you kids also ran out on me to side with DJ Peck Neck! Even after the good moments we had!" the Conductor retorted in an angry and betrayed tone.

"You put us through a hell run on your train, then you sabotaged DJ Grooves' movie set! What did you expect us to do? Clean up your chimney?" Arthur snarked back.

"I did what I had to to **WIN!** And I certainly won't lose against you, lad!" the strange owl shouted furiously. Arthur gave him a nasty look.

"If I blow into pieces, I'll make sure to take you with me..." the twelve-years-old boy said through gritted teeth.

The Conductor chuckled darkly and said, "We'll see about that, _**laddie.**_" He then pulled out a remote control and pressed the button, activating the countdown of the bomb.

**"1 minutes and 20 seconds until self-destruct. Better hurry."**

"Better cover yer ears! This bomb is gonna be **loud**!" the Conductor shouted tauntingly as he hopped down and began running around, flailing his arms while doing so.

Arthur chased after him to try and land a hit on him. However, the Conductor was faster than him. So instead, the young boy decided to anticipate the way he was going and proceeded to cut him off, whacking him on the face. Upon being hit, the Conductor stumbled back on the ground in a sitting position. Arthur attempted to hit him again, however, the strange owl kicked him away from him.

The Conductor got up and jumped back on the stage, before leaping up to the roof of the bleachers. He then pulled out three sawblades and threw them at Arthur. The latter had to roll out of the way to avoid getting sliced to bits. After that, the Conductor lunged at Arthur and landed on him, pinning him on the ground once more. The strange owl attempted to punch him, but Arthur whacked him across the face and kicked him away from him.

The Conductor backed away and pulled out three other sawblades, before throwing them at Arthur. The boy quickly got up and dodged them, before running at the strange owl and whacking him with his crowbar. The hit caused the Conductor to stumble back against the wall. Arthur grabbed him by the collar of his uniform and tried to hit him again with his crowbar. However, the Conductor headbutted him in retaliation, causing the boy to let go of him and back away.

**"40 seconds until self-destruct. We're doomed."**

_'Well, I guess that's it then... I'm gonna die soon. I'm sorry, Hat Kid. I failed you...'_ Arthur thought sadly as he began to accept his fate.

"Darling! Darling!"

Surprised by the voice, Arthur turned his head towards the bleachers on the left. A mix of surprise and relief came into him as he spotted DJ Grooves among the crowd of Express Owls, looking at him worriedly. And he was not alone, someone else stood by his side. It was... Hat Kid? What was she doing here?

"Hang in there, we'll find a way to defuse the bomb!" DJ Grooves informed him. He looked at Hat Kid and said, "Quick, darling! I'm gonna need your help with this!". The purple-hatted girl quickly nodded, then she followed the disco penguin out of the room as he ran off to look for something to defuse the bomb. Arthur smiled in relief. Perhaps there still was a chance after all. He just needed to hold out until DJ Grooves and Hat Kid find a way to deactivate the bomb on his back. He just hoped they could make it on time...

For the last remaining seconds, the Conductor continued to throw sawblades at Arthur, while occasionally running around to taunt the boy some more. Arthur did his best at dodging the incoming sawblades, and landed a few hits on the Conductor whenever he could. Although this fight was seriously starting to tire him out. The anxiety of having a bomb on his back wasn't making it any easier.

**"10 seconds until self-destruct."**

Upon hearing that, Arthur gasped as his anxiety went through the roof. Only 10 seconds left! Have DJ Grooves and Hat Kid found a way to defuse the bomb yet?!

**"9."**

"Oh hohoho! Yer gonna blow, laddie!" the Conductor said tauntingly with an evil grin.

**"8."**

No, it's already too late... It's all over...

**"7."**

DJ Grooves and Hat Kid both came back in the bleachers while carrying a giant pair of scissors.

**"6."**

"Arthur darling! The defuser is ready, come here!" the disco penguin yelled to Arthur quickly.

**"5."**

The young boy dodged three incoming saw blades thrown by the Conductor.

**"4."**

Arthur made a beeline for the giant scissors as quickly as possible.

**"3."**

"No! _**NOOOO!**_" the Conductor yelled in frustration as he saw the boy reach the scissors.

**"2."**

Arthur ducked and covered his head with his arms as DJ Grooves and Hat Kid opened the scissors as wide as possible right above his head.

**"1."**

_**SNIP!**_

The antenna of the bomb was cut in half after DJ Grooves and Hat Kid clipped the two blades of the scissors together at the same time.

**"Bomb defused. Hooray."**

Arthur, Hat Kid, and DJ Grooves all let out a deep sigh in relief. That was so. Damn. _Close_! However, the Conductor was not happy with this. He was more than furious... He was _**ENRAGED**_! More than usual. He was so close to ending Arthur's life here and now, but that blasted DJ and the purple hat-wearing peck neck ruined everything!

He sent DJ Grooves the nastiest look he ever gave and said, "You... You no-good, spaced-out, picture-posin' **PECK NECK**! Not only yer stole award 42 from me, but yer come rollin' in to ruin me plan too?!".

"That's enough, Conductor! I won't let you hurt my little stars!" DJ Grooves retorted, glaring back at the Conductor.

While the two movie directors were busy arguing, Hat Kid jumped down from the bleachers, before running to Arthur's side to check on him.

"Hat Kid? W-what are you doing here? I thought you were sleeping," Arthur asked, surprised to see her here. He then frowned and said, "Lemme guess... the Mafia Boss ratted me out, did he?" Hat Kid nodded. The twelve-years-old boy cursed under his breath. He should have guessed that the Mafia Boss wouldn't hold his tongue. Oh well... Without Hat Kid and DJ Grooves, he would have been dead by now; so it doesn't matter. The purple-hatted girl then noticed the cut on Arthur's cheek and pointed at it, giving the boy a concerned expression.

"Oh this? This is nothing. Just a little scrape," Arthur reassured her. "Anyway, let's finish this and get your Time Piece back." Hat Kid nodded with a smile and pulled out her umbrella. The duo turned their attention back to the Conductor who was staring daggers at them.

"Alright, kids! That's it! Time to bring out... _**THE BIG GUNS!**_" the strange owl shouted angrily, before whistling. Suddenly, four Express Owls hopped down from the bleachers with knives in their hands and charged at Arthur at fast speed.

"OH CRAP!" the young boy yelled out in panic, before running away as the four owls chased after him while waving their knives around. Hat Kid was about to go help him, when the Conductor jumped in front of her, holding his knife in his hand.

"Not so fast, lassie!" the strange owl snarled at her. He then swung his knife at her, but Hat Kid quickly blocked his attack with her umbrella.

For a minute, Hat Kid continued fighting the Conductor, while Arthur was running around the room to escape the group of Express Owls chasing him. At some point, Hat Kid swung her umbrella at the Conductor. However, the latter dodged it, then he backhanded the small girl across the face. Hat Kid fell back on the ground, dropping her umbrella and losing her hat in the process. She tried to grab her umbrella, but the Conductor kicked it away, leaving Hat Kid defenceless.

"Now yer done for, lass. Say _goodbyyyyye_!" the strange owl said with an evil smile. Hat Kid's eyes widened in fear and she crawled backward as the Conductor slowly approached her.

DJ Grooves gasped after seeing his rival gain the upper hand on Hat Kid. The Conductor was about to kill her! The disco penguin narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. No! He won't let Hat Kid die at the hand of this monster. She and Arthur have gotten him out of the sombre routine he was in after being on a losing streak for so many years and they gave him a new purpose in movie making. They were his stars! His little _divas_. Screw it! He was going to help them!

DJ Grooves jumped down from the bleachers to join the battle. He attempted to charge at the Conductor. Unfortunately, a group of Express Owls jumped on him and pinned him on the ground before he could do anything.

"Ah! Get off me, darlings!" the disco penguin shouted in frustration. He tried to push the owls off of him in vain.

At this point, Hat Kid had reached the wall and had nowhere else to run as the Conductor cornered her. The strange owl laughed evilly, seeing that the young alien was stuck.

"Conductor! Please no! Not my diva!" DJ Grooves begged him with a distressed look, while his captors kept him pinned on the ground. However, his pleadings fell on deaf ears as the Conductor raised his knife up.

"**NOOOOOOOO!**" the disco penguin screamed in horror as he helplessly watched him get ready to strike Hat Kid down. The small girl let out a scream, throwing her arms up over her head as she braced herself for the incoming pain.

While running away from the group of owls, Arthur saw Hat Kid about to get stabbed by the Conductor and quickly rushed over to their sides. He only had time to scream, "_**NO!**_", before-

_**SQUELCH!**_

The whole room fell silent as the sound of the knife going through someone's chest echoed across the theatre. Hat Kid's eyes were shut tight and she was trembling, expecting to be already dead. However, she felt... nothing? She slowly opened her eyes and realized she was still alive. No wound, nothing. Then who got stabbed? She looked up and her heart immediately sank, an horror look forming on her face as she gasped. Arthur was there... standing between her and the Conductor, facing the latter. He had just taken the knife for her.

The young boy's eyes were widened and his mouth was open. He let out a weak grunt as he looked down at the knife that was stuck in his chest. First time getting stabbed, and it hurts like hell... More than all of the punches he took from other kids and his father in his home world... More than anything that you could ever imagine. He looked back up at the Conductor who appeared to have a shocked look on his face.

"Nice aim... old weird bird..." Arthur said weakly with a blank expression. And then, he collapsed on the floor with the knife still in his chest. His cowboy hat fell to the side as he hit the ground.

The Conductor stared at the injured boy, horrified by his own actions. Just before, he was ready to kill both of him and Hat Kid without hesitation or remorse, but the moment he plunged that knife into Arthur's chest... it was like a switch went off in his mind and he suddenly came back to his senses. Only too late.

"L-laddie...? I-I..." the strange owl began to say.

"_**CONDUCTOR!**_" he suddenly heard DJ Grooves scream angrily.

The Conductor looked to the side and watched in horror as the disco penguin managed to throw the Express Owls off of him in a fit of rage, staring daggers at him. A mix of nervousness and fear overwhelmed the strange owl as he took a few steps back. DJ Grooves suddenly charged at him and punched him _**hard**_ in the face, sending the Conductor fly against the wall. The strange owl slid down the wall and reached the ground in a sitting position, before he passed out from the hit. The Express Owls inside the bleachers – including the ones who were chasing Arthur around – all gasped upon seeing their boss unconscious and immediately evacuated the theatre out of fear.

The Time Piece fell from the Conductor's pocket, still intact despite the blow. DJ Grooves picked it up and put it in his pocket, glaring at the Conductor one last time before he focused his attention back on Arthur.

"ARTHUR!" Hat Kid screamed in panic as she knelt down to Arthur's side. She was on the verge of tears as she saw her injured friend's pained expression. No, no! This couldn't be happening! Not him! Not her friend! DJ Grooves rushed over and knelt down to Arthur's side.

"Darling! Darling! Stay with us! W-we're gonna get you fixed up!" the disco penguin said, clearly panicking.

"Don't bother... Just... worry about the Time Piece and... and leave me be..." Arthur requested weakly as his vision began to blurry. He didn't want to be saved. He has been wanting his own death for a long time, and finally another opportunity presents itself. Hopefully, this will be the final one. Nobody will ever miss him, so it's no big deal...

"No, darling! We won't leave you like this! W-we'll get you to the hospital right away!" DJ Grooves insisted. Hat Kid nodded quickly, a few tears streaming down her face.

"Why...? I'm not important..." Arthur said more quietly, although both DJ Grooves and Hat Kid heard him and were shocked by that.

"No, no, don't say that, darling! You're more important than all the rest here! More important than my own career!" the disco penguin reassured him, earning a nod from Hat Kid.

Why? What makes him important to their eyes? Arthur didn't understand. That didn't make any sense... That didn't... That... Oh boy, he was starting to feel lightheaded here.

"Darling! Darling! Come on, stay with us!" DJ Grooves said as he grew more panicked.

Although, his voice became fainter to Arthur's ears and it almost... resonated. The boy's vision grew darker and more blurry every seconds.

"Darling? DARLING!"

"_**ARTHUR!**_"

Hat Kid's faint voice calling his name was the last thing Arthur heard before he lost consciousness and everything went black for him.

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! The chapter about the Conductor's Boss Fight is finally wrapped in! Boy, this was intense and... emotional to say the least... but nonetheless, I had a lot of fun writing it. I have one chapter left to write before we move on to Subcon Forest. Now I know the ending looks similar to the ending of Chapter 2's Boss Fight from other stories I got inspired from, but it was how I planned to end the fight and I couldn't see what other ending could fit in this chapter. Sorry if it bothers you, but I'm keeping it that way.**

**Anyway, I also changed the font I'm using when writing my story. Even though you guys can't see it, I'm now using Calibri instead of Arial. It's in my opinion much easier, neater, and feels less 'packed' to read. Therefore it makes me less tired to write and reread my chapter before posting it. Which is good for my motivation!**

**Anyway, time to answer some reviews!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Sums up the fight pretty much. XD**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Heh, sorry for the cliffhanger. But hey, I was pretty quick on writing this new chapter, so yay! XD Anyway, thank you! I did have a Merry Christmas with my family and it was fun! I hope yours was great too! Also, congrats on 100 your A Hat in Time game on Switch! And don't worry, although I 100 the main story and both DLCs on my PC game, I still haven't completed Death Wish either. Though I'm fine with that. ^^; Now to answer your question, I'm not sure yet if I'll add that. Maybe a little idea will come through my mind and I'll write it down later in my story, but for now, that's not planned. Also, Arthur's dad live in the other world which is not the dimension Hat Kid and the rest of the cast live in. So 'butt-whooping' him might be a bit complicated... ^^; But hey, I think Arthur's father ending up alone with only his drinks to keep him company is enough punishment for him.**

_**To thechickensawesome:**_** All of these questions will be answered in the future as you read the rest of the story. ;)**

**Anyway, that's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Following the events that occured in the basement of Dead Bird Studio, DJ Grooves and Hat Kid carried Arthur to the nearest hospital as quickly as they could after the latter got stabbed by the Conductor and fell unconscious. Upon their arrival, the medics – who were owls – immediately took Arthur to the operating room to extract the knife and try to save the boy's life. After that, they moved him to one of the rooms to do a medical exam on him.

It was currently early in the morning. Hat Kid and DJ Grooves were sitting on a bench in the hallway, just outside of Arthur's room, anxiously waiting for the results.

The purple-hatted girl had her eyes covered by her hands as the disco penguin did his best to comfort her. It was needless to say she was a mess at the moment. Not just because she was worried about the fact that Arthur might not make it, but also because part of her feels responsible for what happened to him. Arthur was right; they should have just asked for the Time Pieces from the start instead of taking part of the two bird movie directors' movies. Had they done it before, the Conductor wouldn't have found out about the power of the Time Pieces and Arthur wouldn't have gotten stabbed. Accepting the birds' request for help was her call when Arthur wanted out. She was just so excited at the idea of being part of movies, it was like a dream come true. Never would have she imagined it would end up so badly. And she felt even worse knowing that Arthur was the one who got stabbed when the knife was meant to be for her instead.

What's done is done, but Hat Kid was really hoping that Arthur will make it. She couldn't lose him... He was the first friend she made in a long time – not counting Mustache Girl for obvious reasons. Sure, maybe he tended to act like a jerk and be a bit of a mood killer sometimes, but Hat Kid knew it was tied to something that was bothering him. Obviously, something tied to his past, since he always refused to talk about it. He wasn't a bad person, he was just going through that depression thingy that she heard people talk about.

The young alien sighed sadly. She didn't want to go back to being alone on her spaceship with just Rumbi to keep her company, like it always has been. She didn't want to have to go look for Time Pieces on her own. She just wanted Arthur to live...

The sound of a door opening caught the attention of Hat Kid and DJ Grooves. The head doctor – a brown owl wearing glasses and light green surgical hat and gown – walked out of the room as he removed his surgical gloves.

"How is he, doctor?" DJ Grooves asked anxiously. Hat Kid lifted her head up to look at the doctor, her eyes puffy and red from all the crying. The owl doctor pulled his surgical mask down from his beak and looked back inside the room, before turning his attention back to the duo.

"He's stable for now. We managed to get the knife out of him and close the wound, but he's in a coma right now. We don't know when he'll wake up," he explained.

"Is he gonna survive though?" DJ Grooves asked, worried about the answer.

"We're not sure yet, only time will tell. Thankfully, no vital organs were hit, so there is a high chance that he'll survive," the owl doctor said. Hat Kid and DJ Grooves sighed in relief. Thank goodness, there was still a chance. "I gotta say, he's very lucky. A little more to the right and the knife would have pierced his heart," he added, causing Hat Kid to close her eyes and shiver at the thought.

"Thank you, doctor," the disco penguin thanked him.

"Don't mention it," the owl doctor said with a smile. "Oh, and there's something else you should know."

"What is it?" DJ Grooves asked, getting slightly worried along with Hat Kid.

"So, of course, he has a scar on his chest and another one on his left cheek due to the knife... but we also found some other scars all over his back. These ones are older, they were probably made one or two years ago," the doctor explained.

Hat Kid and DJ Grooves looked at each other with shocked expressions. Arthur had scars all over his back? They didn't know about that... Out of the two, the one who was mostly shocked was Hat Kid. Arthur never told her about these scars. Did someone do that to him? And why didn't he say anything about them? Her heart sank. It seems like Arthur's past might be darker than she thought.

"Can... can we see him?" DJ Grooves asked.

"Sure, you can come in," the owl doctor said as he stepped aside to let the duo in.

"Thank you," DJ Grooves thanked him with a nod, before he and Hat Kid made their way inside the room.

When they entered the room, an owl nurse was writing something on her clipboard, hiding the view of Arthur from the duo. When she noticed them, she left the room to give them some space. Hat Kid and DJ Grooves approached the bed and they formed sad looks at the sight of the injured boy. Arthur was lying in the bed, with half of his body covered by a sheet. His eyes were closed and he wasn't moving. He was hatless and was wearing a blue hospital gown. The cut on his left cheek was visible, although it had been sewed back by the medics. He was in a coma. Only the regular beeping of the electrocardiograph proved that he was still alive.

Hat Kid took Arthur's limp hand in her own and placed her other hand on his forehead, rubbing it with her thumb affectionately while giving the boy a sad smile. Arthur saved her life back in that basement. He didn't have to take the knife for her when the Conductor attempted to kill her, but he did nonetheless. He had a good heart and he cared about her, despite his cold exterior and snarky behavior. If only she realized it sooner when she found him in her spaceship on their first encounter...

DJ Grooves watched Hat Kid with a smile, before it dropped and a regretful expression formed on his face.

"I'm sorry, darling," he said with a sad sigh. Hat Kid turned her head to look at the disco penguin with a confused expression. "If I had known it would've ended up like this, I would've never asked you two to be the stars of my movies. I never imagined the Conductor would go that far... Don't get me wrong, I'm really grateful for all your efforts during the recordings and you gave me a new view on my career, but..." He looked down and sighed, before saying, "It wasn't worth Arthur getting injured."

Hat Kid let go of Arthur's hand and walked up to DJ Grooves. She took his flipper in both of her hands and gave him a smile as to say 'it's not your fault'. The disco penguin looked at her surprised, before giving the girl a smile of his own.

"Thank you, darling," he said appreciatively. Hat Kid nodded before letting go of his flipper. He then pulled out the Time Piece he got from the Conductor and said, "Here, I picked it up after the Conductor dropped it. It's all yours," before handing it over to her. The young alien took it and stared at it for a moment, before looking back up at DJ Grooves.

"Thank you," Hat Kid thanked him, before putting the Time Piece in her pocket. DJ Grooves nodded with a smile, before glancing at Arthur.

"We should let him rest for now. We can come back later to visit him again if you want. In the meantime, I can treat you to some ice cream or something," the disco penguin offered. Hat Kid nodded. She wouldn't mind a little ice cream to cheer herself up a bit. "Alright, darling. Let's go," DJ Grooves said as he made his way towards the door.

As she was about to leave, Hat Kid glanced at Arthur one last time, before following the disco penguin out of the room.

* * *

Back in Dead Bird Studio, the Conductor was sitting behind his desk inside his office. The room was almost dark, only a small lamp on the desk was providing some light. Multiple empty bottles were on the desk, and some of them were even on the floor. The strange owl had a half-empty glass of whiskey in his right hand, while his left hand – that had now a bandage wrapped around the spot where Arthur bit him – propped his head.

He was in a depressed mood and an half-drunken state right now. Not because he lost the Time Piece, but because of what he did to Arthur. Just what was he thinking? Attacking a child with a knife like that? The Conductor had no idea what had gotten into him. The moment he learned about the power of the Time Pieces, it was like he was no longer in control, almost like... someone was possessing him... and he just couldn't stop.

If only the mustached lass- The Conductor suddenly growled in anger. That red-hooded **peck neck**! She manipulated him! She tricked him! HIM! The Conductor! She made him believe that Arthur and Hat Kid were selfish and just wanted to keep the Time Pieces for their own needs, but it turns out it was all lies to turn him against the duo. It was all her fault!

...Oh, who was he kidding? Sure, maybe the mustached lass tricked him by revealing the power of the Time Pieces and lying about the two children, but HE was the one who went and attacked them when they were just trying to get back what rightfully belonged to them. And he ended up stabbing the little lad. _His_ lad. And for what? For a single trophy that he lost and probably didn't even deserve... He was the selfish one. Not Arthur. Not Hat Kid. Him...

The Conductor let out a sad sigh as he drank more from his glass of whiskey and hiccuped. He wished he could take it all back. Just... go back in time and fix his mistake. But he didn't have any single Time Piece left now, and in all honesty, he didn't want to be anywhere near those since it was what started the whole thing. ... Perhaps he should try to apologize to the kids. Will they ever forgive him though? Maybe not, he wouldn't either... but it was the least he can do; especially to Arthur since he was the one he hurt the most, and not just physically. He broke his trust... The young boy was the first person on earth he could talk about his passion with. The Conductor had to admit, he became fond of Arthur and he missed having those conversations with him. He would give anything to have them back.

The strange owl hoped that Arthur survived, so he could go apologize to the lad first. Then, he'll apologize to Hat Kid too. But the kids will probably be accompanied by DJ Peck Neck and the latter will no doubt still be angry at him after what happened in that basement. He didn't want to get punched in the face once more. The memory was enough to make the Conductor shudder. So how was he gonna get the kids' attention without having to deal with DJ Grooves?

As he asked himself the question, the strange owl's eyes landed on a couple of western figurines all neatly disposed on his shelf. He got up from his chair and made his way to the shelf, almost stumbling and hiccuping from all the alcohol he drank. He picked up a figurine of himself in a cowboy outfit, then looked at the rest. They were either horses, train cars, or owls wearing different western outfits – some of them were the Conductor himself. There was even an old brown cowboy hat that he used in one of his previous movies.

As he looked back at the one he had in his hand, he suddenly smiled widely. That's it! He exactly knows how to get the kids' attention, especially Arthur's! All he had to do was wait for the boy to heal up and get out of the hospital, then he'll set his plan in motion. Well, if Arthur survives, that is...

The Conductor shook his head. No, he will survive! He has to! Otherwise, the strange owl will never forgive himself for his actions. Well, he will have to wait and see...

"I hope yer can forgive me, kids..." he said to himself with a sigh.

* * *

Three days have passed since the incident of Dead Bird Studio's basement. Hat Kid had been staying at Arthur's side the whole time. She only came back on her spaceship to put the Time Piece in her vault and get some sleep. The young alien didn't even bother trying to continue looking for the rest of the Time Pieces. She just wanted to be here when Arthur wakes up.

During this time, Hat Kid also called Cooking Cat to inform her on what happened. The cat chef didn't hesitate a second before she packed her stuff and went to the hospital to see Arthur. DJ Grooves also made sure to visit him whenever he had free time. Also, since word of the incident got out, some more people came to visit; like the receptionist from Dead Bird Studio, Moon Penguins, and even Express Owls who brought gifts as an apology for taking part of the Conductor's scheme. There were even letters of support sent by Arthur and Hat Kid's fans from the moon.

At the moment, Hat Kid was sitting inside Arthur's room, playing with her dolls to keep herself busy. DJ Grooves and Cooking Cat were also here, busy talking with each other. Suddenly, a small moan was heard in the room, causing the trio to look at Arthur. They saw the boy's eyes move slightly. Hat Kid's eyes widened. She... she wasn't hallucinating, right? Could it be...? Arthur's eyes slowly opened some more. Yes, he was waking up! The purple-hatted girl gasped as joy came over her. She put her dolls back in her pockets and got up from her seat, before rushing over to the bed.

"Wh... Where am I...? What- Oof!" Arthur's question was interrupted as Hat Kid wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. It took him a few seconds to process what was happening, before he spoke again. "H... Hat Kid...?" he asked, still feeling a bit groggy.

"Darling! It's so good to see you're awake!" DJ Grooves said joyfully as he approached the bed, along with Cooking Cat.

"Hey... Wait, where am I?" Arthur asked, looking around the room while Hat Kid continued hugging him.

"You're at the hospital, darling. The Conductor stabbed you and we brought you here soon after," the disco penguin explained. Arthur nodded in understanding, finally remembering the events that occured in the basement of Dead Bird Studio.

"So that wasn't a dream then..." the young boy deadpanned. Well... that's another opportunity to die missed. Looks like the Grim Reaper didn't want him once more. Dammit... His eyes suddenly widened as he remembered something. "Wait, what about the Time Piece?" he asked in panic.

"Don't worry, I picked it up after the fight and gave it back to your friend," DJ Grooves reassured him.

Arthur sighed in relief and said, "Good." He then noticed Cooking Cat's presence and said, "Hey, Cooking Cat."

"Hello, dearie! I'm glad you're okay! Your friend called me the other day and told me what happened in Dead Bird Studio, so I came here as quickly as possible," the cat chef said with a smile.

Hat Kid then pulled away from the hug, only keeping her hands on the boy's shoulders, and gave him a stern look, before saying, "Don't do that again," firmly. Arthur looked at her surprised. Was she really _that_ worried about him? Then, perhaps going to retrieve the Time Piece on his own wasn't such a good idea after all. Way to go, Arthur...

"Sorry, kid. I guess I gave you quite the scare then..." the twelve-years-old boy apologized with a sheepish expression. Hat Kid nodded, still keeping a stern face. "Well, if you want you can put me in the corner with a dunce's cap on my head," he added jokingly, causing the small girl to giggle and break her serious-like attitude as she let go of Arthur's shoulders. Suddenly, a sharp pain manifested itself in his chest, causing him to wince in pain and sit up on his bed.

"Ahh, hell..." Arthur said with a grimace as he clutched his chest, receiving a concerned expression from his friends.

"Must be the stab wound. Try to take it easy, dearie," Cooking Cat advised him.

"Sounds good..." the young boy muttered. It wasn't his first time in a hospital, so he got that feeling a lot after waking up with an injury. That didn't mean he was getting used to it... Suddenly, DJ Grooves remembered what the doctor told them after the operation and decided to bring it up.

"Darling, the doctor said that you got scars all over your back. Not counting the ones you got recently... The _older_ ones," the disco penguin said. Upon hearing this, Arthur formed a blank expression and remained quiet, earning a worried look from the trio. "Darling... where did you get these scars? Who did that to you?" DJ Grooves asked, clearly concerned.

"Somewhere... Someone..." Arthur simply said. Clearly, he didn't want to talk about that.

"It's okay, dearie. You don't have to answer if you don't want to. We're just worried about you, that's all," Cooking Cat reassured him.

"Why?" he suddenly asked. Hat Kid, DJ Grooves, and Cooking Cat all glanced at each others, surprised by the sudden question.

"Well, because we care about you, darling. Isn't that obvious?" the disco penguin said, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Arthur remained silent and looked down in wonder. They... cared about him? Were they really serious about it? He didn't know what to say... Due to the lack of response, Cooking Cat started having an idea of what was wrong.

"Dearie... Have you had people caring about you where you lived? Parents? Siblings? Anyone?" the cat chef asked concerned.

Arthur remained quiet for a few seconds, then he said, "It doesn't matter," before looking away. He actually had his mom who cared about him, along with... a man he met in the street. That was a long time ago though. They were just... not around anymore to put it simply. It doesn't matter, he didn't want to talk about it. Not now. Not ever.

The trio looked at each others sadly after hearing the boy's answer, knowing exactly what he meant. They all felt bad for the boy... mostly Hat Kid. The young alien figured that people hadn't been nice to him in the past. She remembered Arthur telling her he had 'bad experiences' with them. Though, she had no idea it was _this_ bad. Like, not even his parents cared about him? That's rough... No wonder he thinks people don't or won't ever care about him. If only she could make him see that she does...

A knock on the door was suddenly heard, catching the attention of everyone in the room.

"Come in!" DJ Grooves shouted, so the person behind the door could hear him.

The door opened, revealing a Mafia man wearing a black fedora and carrying a white box in his muscular hands.

"Hello. Is this the room of little hat boy? This is barman from Mafia," the Mafia goon introduced himself. Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes widened as they remembered the man.

"Mafia Barman? Hey. What are you doing here?" Arthur asked.

"Hello, hat boy. Mafia heard you were at hospital, so Mafia came to visit," the Mafia Barman said with a smile, stepping inside the room.

"I appreciate it," Arthur said gratefully. He then noticed the hat on the goon's head and asked, "What's that hat you got?".

"Oh this? Mafia wanted to try new style. Mafia like it," the Mafia Barman explained as he touched the fedora on his head.

"Looks nice," Arthur said with a smile. It was actually very convenient. That way he could tell him from his fellow Mafia friends and recognize him easier. The Mafia Barman smiled at the boy appreciatively.

"Thank you. Mafia thought little boy might be hungry when he wake up, so Mafia brought speciality. This is fish cake," the goon said, opening up the box in his hands as two flies flew out of it. Everyone in the room, except for the Mafia Barman, grimaced in disgust upon seeing the 'speciality'. It was a strange brown-and-green-colored cake with an entire fish inside it. The head and the tail were sticking out of each side of the cake, and it smelled really bad, almost as if it was cooked months ago. Arthur and Hat Kid forgot how bad the Mafia were at cooking.

"Uhh... thanks, Barman. I'm not hungry though... You can put it on the table, I'll... eat it later," Arthur lied, trying to be as polite as possible to not upset the man. The Mafia Barman nodded and placed the box on the table. DJ Grooves looked like he was about to say something, but Cooking Cat shook her head at him, silencing him.

"Don't worry, I'll replace it with my own fish cake later," the cat chef whispered to the boy, winking at him. Arthur nodded appreciatively.

At this moment, the head doctor entered the room to check on Arthur and noticed he was awake.

"Ah, you're awake. Good," the owl doctor said with a smile. He suddenly sniffed and asked, "What's that smell?" He then noticed the box with the fish cake in it and grimaced in disgust. "Who brought that here?" he asked. Everyone comically pointed at the Mafia Barman, and the latter raised an eyebrow at the owl. Intimidated by the man's imposing stature, the doctor decided to keep quiet about it.

"Nevermind... Anyway, now that you're awake, I think it's time for me to tell you your state of health," the owl doctor said to Arthur.

"Okay," the young boy said, waiting for the owl's response.

"So it goes without saying that you have an injury in your chest and a cut on your cheek because of the knife. Thankfully, no vital organs or anything essential to your body's function were hit, so you'll be able to continue living without any severe sequelae," the doctor explained. "I recommend you take it easy though. We're gonna keep you a few more days in the hospital so your wounds can heal up properly, and then we'll let you go."

"Alright. Thanks, doctor," Arthur thanked him.

The owl doctor nodded and said, "We'll be around if you need anything." And then, he walked out of the room, leaving the group alone.

"Isn't it great, darling? You'll be out of here very soon," DJ Grooves said with a smile.

"Yeah, that's good. We still got a lot more Time Pieces to find. The sooner I get out of here the better," Arthur said as he looked at Hat Kid with a smile. The purple-hatted girl nodded and smiled back at him.

* * *

A few more days passed, Arthur spent his time resting in his hospital bed while waiting to recover enough to leave. It was boring, but thankfully, Hat Kid brought him some papers and colored pencils so he could draw. The purple-hatted girl remained at his side the whole time; although Arthur suggested that she go find the rest of the Time Pieces instead of 'wasting her time' with him, but she stubbornly refused.

DJ Grooves, Cooking Cat, and the Mafia Barman continued visiting him regularly. The young boy also received more visits from Moon Penguins, and some Express Owls who came to apologize to him. Even a few Mafia men came, bringing 'gifts' mainly consisting of fish or another 'cooked recipe' that smelled just as bad as the fish cake from the Mafia Barman. Of course, Cooking Cat made sure to replace all of them with her own food. Arthur was surprised by all of the visits he got. Although he was grateful, it almost made him uncomfortable. He wasn't used to this, since no one ever came to visit him in the previous times he ended up in a hospital bed.

Finally, after some recovery, the doctor told Arthur he was now allowed to leave the hospital, much to everyone's joy. The young boy was given his regular clothes and his cowboy hat back, and was able to join his friends outside. He was instantly greeted by the warm welcomes of the group and a hug from Hat Kid who was happy to see him back on his feet. She also gave him back his crowbar after they left the building, since no weapons were allowed inside the hospital.

Arthur and Hat Kid were in the parking lot of the hospital, talking with DJ Grooves, Cooking Cat, and the Mafia Barman. Suddenly, the young boy's eyes landed on something on the ground that caught his attention at the entrance of an alleyway in between two buildings.

"Uh, guys. Can you give me a minute? I need to check something," Arthur said to the group.

"Of course, darling. Just don't wander too far," DJ Grooves said with a nod.

"Yeah," the young boy simply said as he walked away.

Once he reached the entrance of the alleyway, Arthur was able to take a better look at whatever was on the ground. It looked like a brown cowboy hat. Looks nice! Did someone lose it here? Arthur shrugged and picked it up. If he meets whoever lost it, he will give it back to them. If not, he'll just keep it.

Then, as he looked up, he saw something else a bit further in the alleyway. It looked like some sort of figurine, although he couldn't tell what kind it was. Arthur looked back at his friends who were still busy talking with each others, then back at the figurine. He remembered they told him not to wander too far, but he wasn't going to take too long. He will just check out that figurine, and then come back to them immediately.

The twelve-years-old boy walked further in the alleyway and reached the figurine. He knelt down and picked it up, examining it. His eyes widened. It was a cowboy figurine, but its face... it was...

"Conductor?" Arthur asked, looking down at the figurine in shock.

"That's right... One of me old figurines that sold after the release of 'Once Upon a Time on the Owl Express'," someone said from behind. Arthur jolted in surprise at first, then he frowned and sighed in annoyance as he recognized the familiar Scottish accent from the voice. Great... he just got baited like the fool he was.

The young boy put the figurine and the hat he found on the ground, then he got up and turned around. Sure enough, the Conductor was here, standing a few feet away from him, while playing with his hands nervously. Arthur could also see the bandage wrapped around his left hand where he bit him during the fight.

"What do you want, Conductor? You here to finish the job?" Arthur asked angrily, getting ready to pull out his crowbar.

"N-no, I..." the Conductor stuttered nervously. He never apologized to anyone before, not even during his outbursts... and he didn't know where to start. And it was going to be even harder considering he tried to kill him before... but he had to get that out of his chest. He took a deep breathe and said, "Laddie, I... I just wanted to talk." Arthur rolled his eyes in response.

"About what? If you're here for the Time Piece, I-" the boy began to say.

"No! I..." the strange owl quickly interrupted him, before he sighed. Peck, why was it so hard to say it? "I wanted to apologize to yer..." he finally said. Arthur's angry expression changed to a surprised one.

"What?" he asked in confusion.

The Conductor sighed and said, "Laddie... I'm truly sorry for stabbing you like that. I just... I... I have no idea what got into me. The moment I learned about what the Time Pieces could do, I just... I couldn't control meself. I was ready to do whatever it took to use the Time Piece and reclaim the trophy I lost during the 42nd award. This day was rough for me, but... what happened in the basement that night... it was harder to take in."

Arthur stared at the Conductor, trying to see if he was lying or trying to trick him. However, he couldn't see any sorts of malice on his face like he had during the Award Ceremony or that night in the basement. Instead, the strange owl seemed truly regretful and genuine on his apology. Is it possible that the Conductor truly wasn't acting like himself back then?

"And then, there was also this red mustached lass who came to my office after 'Train Rush' and told me yer were selfish-" the strange owl said, before Arthur interrupted him.

"Wait, who?" the young boy asked him curiously. The brief description of the person sounded familiar to him.

"A red mustached lass. Curled mustache, red hood, blond pigtails... about yer age too," the Conductor described the girl. As soon as he heard that, Arthur gritted his teeth and tightened his fists. Mustache Girl... That was her indeed, she was the one who told the Conductor about the Time Pieces. Of course she would...

"That snake..." Arthur muttered with venom in his voice.

"She said she knew you and the lass, that yer never cared about me movies and just wanted to keep the Time Pieces for yerselves. She told me the truth 'bout those props, I... I thought she said the truth about you too," the strange owl explained. Arthur nodded in understanding. That explains everything... Mustache Girl tricked the Conductor and turned him against them. Even if the strange owl attempted to use the Time Piece for his own desires and attacked him and Hat Kid, it turns out he was just a victim of Mustache Girl's scheme.

"Yeah... We met her in Mafia Town. She formed a rebellion against the Mafia and decided to involve us in. When she learned about the power of the Time Pieces, she wanted to use them. But we refused, and then she flipped out on us. Now, we have a bit of a competition with her regarding the Time Pieces and if she uses them, it won't be good," Arthur explained. The Conductor suddenly began to feel nervous. "What?" the young boy asked, noticing the movie director's nervousness.

"I, uh, may have given her one of the Time Pieces I had..." the strange owl explained, chuckling nervously as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Great..." Arthur muttered with a sigh, putting his hands on his hips and shaking his head. Now, Mustache Girl had a Time Piece in her possession. He didn't know if she got more, but they should really find the rest of them before she does.

"I'm really sorry, laddie... I shouldn't have let my loss over the 42nd bird movie award and the Time Piece get to my head. It wasn't worth losin' ye," the Conductor admitted with a sad expression, causing Arthur to give him a surprised look. He continued, "Yer the first person I got to talk about western stories for a long time. I always liked talking about me passion, but no one, even my owl actors, were really interested in listening to my stories. But ye, laddie... yer different. You share my love of western movies, and the talk we had after the premiere of 'Murder on the Owl Express'... it was one of the best moments I had. Yer a good lad, and I wish I could take back all the things I said or did to yer after that."

Arthur couldn't believe what he was hearing. The Conductor really felt remorseful for what he did, but mostly... he enjoyed talking about his passion with him? ... Maybe he did care about him after all. But then why did he say he didn't during the recording for 'Train Rush'? ... Perhaps it was in the heat of the moment and out of fear of losing his train...

Arthur sighed and said, "You know... Out of all them folks who hurt me physically before, you might be the first one to truly feel sorry about it..."

The Conductor gave him a shocked look and asked, "W-what do yer mean?" in concern.

"What are **YOU** doing here?!"

The Conductor jolted and turned around at the sudden voice, then he gasped in fear. Hat Kid, DJ Grooves, Cooking Cat, and the Mafia Barman were all standing at the entrance of the alleyway, glaring at the strange owl.

"I thought I made myself clear about you staying away from my divas, Conductor!" DJ Grooves said angrily as he and the rest of the group stepped closer, causing the Conductor to back away in fear.

"Is he the one who stabbed Arthur?" Cooking Cat asked angrily. Hat Kid nodded, while glaring at the strange owl.

"Weird yellow raptor better give Mafia reason to not punch him in face," the Mafia Barman threatened as he cracked his knuckles. The Conductor's face flushed red in anger upon hearing that. 'Weird yellow _raptor_'? How dares he call him that?! He was an _owl_! An _**OWL**_!

"WHAT?! I'm an owl, you big mustached, bald-headed, fedora-styled, apron-wearin' peck neck!" the strange owl shouted as he jumped up and down furiously.

"You don't look like one," the Mafia Barman retorted as he raised an eyebrow, causing the Conductor to fume.

Sensing that the tension was rising, Arthur stepped in between his friends and the strange owl and raised his arms up to defuse the argument.

"Hey, hey, calm down! It's fine. He apologized," the twelve-years-old boy said, nodding at the Conductor. His friends all formed shocked looks on their faces.

"B-but, darling, he tried to kill you!" DJ Grooves reminded him, surprised that the boy was willing to take the Conductor's defence after what he did to him.

"I haven't forgotten about that... but he got tricked. Mustache Girl came to his office and told him lies about us," Arthur explained. Hat Kid, Cooking Cat, and the Mafia Barman gasped at the mention of the red-hooded girl's name.

"Who's Mustache Girl?" DJ Grooves asked confused, since he never met the girl.

"A rival of ours we met in Mafia Town. She's trying to collect the Time Pieces before we do," Arthur said. Hat Kid nodded to back up his explanation.

"Yeah, she even flooded the town in lava," Cooking Cat said.

"But little hat kids saved everyone and became heroes of Mafia Town," the Mafia Barman said, smiling at the two children.

DJ Grooves's eyes widened. He never imagined that his little stars had made themselves an enemy before. Then again, the idea of using the Time Pieces to rewind time could have tempted anyone, including himself... but he didn't since he wasn't interested in competition anymore. And even so, he would never want to hurt his little divas.

The Conductor looked at Hat Kid and said, "I'm really sorry for stealing yer Time Piece and hurting yer friend, lassie. I ain't proud of what I did, but I promise I'll make it up to ye. If I see any more Time Pieces around, I'll make sure to tell yer about it." Hat Kid stared at him for a second, before she smiled and gave him a thumbs up, showing that she forgives him.

"You should also apologize to DJ Grooves. I know you don't see eye-to-eye with him, but you sabotaged his movie set. He deserves an apology," Arthur said. The Conductor's jaw dropped at the boy's request.

"What?! No way! Apologizing to yer kids is one thing, but I ain't sayin' anything to that disco-fanatic peck neck!" the strange owl huffed stubbornly as he crossed his arms, earning a glare from his rival. Arthur crossed his arms and gave him a stern glare. The Conductor sighed in defeat and faced DJ Grooves. "I'm sorry for ruining yer movie set..." he mumbled relucantly, before quietly whispering, "Peck neck..."

"Hmpf... Apology accepted," DJ Grooves simply said.

Arthur sighed and said, "Alright, good enough I guess... Anyway, now that the sappy stuff is out of the way we should probably get going." Everyone, except for Arthur and the Conductor, nodded and began to walk away. As the boy was about to follow them, he was stopped by the Conductor.

"Wait, lad! Err... I've got a question... What did yer think of me movie? Yer know... the one I gave you after the premiere of my murder mystery movie," the strange owl asked him. Arthur gave him a puzzled look before he eventually remembered. He was talking about 'Once Upon a Time on the Owl Express'. Arthur kinda forgot about that movie after everything that happened.

"Oh, uh, I haven't finished watching it yet... but I really like it so far. The plot is amazing, I like the idea of the bandit robbing the train to save his family. I think I stopped at that part... I'll continue watching it when I can," the young boy said.

"Thank you, laddie! Oh, and if yer want we can find a moment to talk about more western stories," the Conductor offered with a smile.

"Well, I think I need some time after what happened. But sure, maybe one day," Arthur said, smiling back at him.

"Of course, I get it. Come by my office whenever yer want, lad," the strange owl said.

"Sounds good. See you," Arthur said with a nod, before he went to join Hat Kid and the others. The Conductor watched him leave, then he picked up his figurine and cowboy hat on the ground and walked in the opposite direction. He felt like a weight was finally lifted off his chest.

Now back in the parking lot, Arthur and Hat Kid were talking about their next move with their friends.

"So I assume you two are going back to your spaceship then?" Cooking Cat asked the duo.

"Yeah, we still have to find the rest of the Time Pieces before Mustache Girl does. We're not sure where to go next, but we'll figure it out," Arthur said, earning a nod from Hat Kid.

"I might have a lead for you, darlings," DJ Grooves said, catching the attention of the two children.

"What is it?" Arthur asked.

"There's an old forest south of Dead Bird Studio, past the desert area. It has its name: Subcon Forest. It may be possible that some of your Time Pieces landed there," the disco penguin explained.

"Well, it sounds like the only lead we have," Arthur said, looking at Hat Kid for approval. The purple-hatted girl nodded in agreement. "Thanks, DJ Grooves," he thanked the disco penguin.

"No problem, darlings. Although, there's something you must know if you're heading there..." DJ Grooves said as he gave the two children a serious, yet concerned look. "I've heard that people who go to Subcon Forest... they don't come back." Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other worriedly.

"It's true. Some fellow Mafias went to Subcon Forest once, and none of them came back," the Mafia Barman said.

"You're not telling us that this place is haunted, right?" Arthur asked, hoping they were just joking. Dealing with a Mafia crime lord and a bird movie director with a knife was one thing, but ghosts? It was another. In Arthur's home world, ghosts were only entities mentioned in tales meant to scare children; they weren't real. The twelve-years-old boy hoped the same goes for this world too.

"Nobody knows for sure... But if you go there, please be careful, darlings," DJ Grooves said.

"I've left some food in the fridge for you. Remember to pack some for your journey, dearies," Cooking Cat informed them.

"And if you see fellow Mafias, please help them escape," the Mafia Barman said.

"Will do. Thanks, guys," Arthur said gratefully. DJ Grooves, Cooking Cat, and the Mafia Barman nodded at him. He then looked at Hat Kid and said, "Alright, let's go back to the spaceship."

The purple-hatted girl nodded and pulled out a Time Piece she took from her vault. She grabbed Arthur's hand and held the Time Piece up in the air. And then, the two children flew up to the sky, heading for the spaceship.

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! New chapter! And yay, Arthur is alive! Well, I think you kinda expected it, considering the story isn't over yet. Also, the Conductor apologized. This might be the first time he apologizes to someone, and you could feel the hesitation behind it. I always liked the Conductor, but I also felt like he fits more the role of antagonist more than DJ Grooves for the Battle of the Birds chapter, hence why I picked him as the boss.**

**And with the end of this chapter, I can officially say that this is the end of the Battle of the Birds section. Now, you can all imagine which section is next... That's right! Subcon Forest! Time for Arthur and Hat Kid to meet the Snatcher! Dun dun duuuuuun!**

**Ahem, anyway... time to answer some reviews!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** *confused face* Sorry, I didn't really get the joke you made here. ^^;**

_**To Rub37:**_** Thank you! That's okay if you forgot, it happens. No harm done. ^^**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Haha! xD Indeed, you were right. And yeah, don't make DJ Grooves mad. The one you should never piss off is the one who always act calm in the outside... ^^; The idea is interesting. Who knows? Maybe I'll add someone to act like a father figure to Arthur. I'll just have to see if I can put that in. And if I don't, well, it'll be as it is. Anyway, thanks!**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** I agree, this is the best way to end this boss fight in my opinion. Anyway, thank you!**

_**To Maoshin:**_** Heh, sorry for the cliffhanger. Don't worry, Arthur is okay as you can see in this chapter.**

_**To HexoSpikeZ: **_**No one likes getting stabbed or seeing someone else get stabbed, that's for sure. ^^; Don't worry, Arthur is fine. The power of the medics saved him. ;)**

_**To Someone:**_** That's actually a tragic way to end a story, especially in the middle of it. But nah, that didn't happen.**

**Alright, that's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Upon returning on the spaceship, the two children were greeted by Rumbi. The cleaner robot jumped and down happily after seeing Arthur alive and well. It seems like it was starting to like the boy's presence on the spaceship, compared to the beginning where it treated him as an intruder. After it went back to cleaning the room, Hat Kid made her way to the vault and put the Time Piece she used back in it, before going back to Arthur's side.

"There you are. Alive and well, I see," a familiar voice said. Arthur and Hat Kid both groaned in annoyance. The Mafia Boss, again...

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, jar-stache," Arthur said sarcastically.

"Hey! I'm the one who told your friend where you were going! You're alive thanks to **me**! So I require you show me some respect, boy!" the Mafia Boss shouted angrily.

"Oh I'm sorry, sir. Do you want me to build a golden statue in your honor?" Arthur asked snarkily, making Hat Kid giggle. The jarred crime lord growled furiously, hopping up and down.

"Whatever!" he said, before turning away from the duo.

"More seriously, why did you tell Hat Kid where I went? I thought you wanted me dead," Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

The Mafia Boss looked back at Arthur and said, "I do! But like I told your friend, it was a thank you for saving my town. And the **ONLY** one too! Now if you'll excuse, I'm gonna sulk in a corner and plan out my revenge on you hat brats!" And with that, he hopped away from the two children to get some space.

Arthur sighed in annoyance and looked at Hat Kid, before asking, "Can't we just toss him out of the ship already? I'm tired of listening to his complains day and night."

"But he's funny!" the purple-hatted girl said with a giggle.

"And annoying, for that matter..." Arthur muttered with an unamused look. "Though, I gotta give it to him, I'd be dead if he didn't tell you where I was," he admitted. He then sighed and said, "I'm really sorry for going off alone that night. It's just... when I was told the Conductor still had one of your Time Pieces... I wasn't sure how dangerous he would be if he wanted to keep it. Turns out he was really dangerous... But I just..." He remained silent for a second, then he said, "I didn't want to see you get hurt... not ever since The Big Parade..." Hat Kid gave him a surprised look upon hearing this.

"I know it sounds stupid, but I... I just couldn't..." he finished as he put his hands on his hips and looked down, his hat shadowing his eyes.

Hat Kid's surprised expression turned into a warm smile. She placed her hand on Arthur's shoulder, making him look back at her, and nodded at him to say 'it's okay' and 'thank you' at the same time. Then, she pulled out a pen and paper and wrote something on it, before showing it to Arthur. It said 'Don't worry about me! I'm a tough cookie!', followed by a drawing of the girl's face – including the hat – smiling and sticking her tongue out, with a flexed muscular arm next to it.

Arthur chuckled and said, "That you are." Hat Kid giggled in response, before putting the paper away. The young boy looked at the monitor that currently showed 19/56 Time Pieces. "We still got a lot of Time Pieces to find, it's best if we get to it immediately. I guess we should check out that forest DJ Grooves told us about," he suggested. Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

The two children walked over to the window and looked down at the planet to see where Subcon Forest was... and they spotted it. Like DJ Grooves explained, it was south of Dead Bird Studio, past the desert area. From up here, the forest appeared to be dark purple and a mansion could be seen in a secluded area.

"He also said that people never come back from it. That doesn't sound good..." Arthur said with a worried expression. Now that he thinks about it, the forest itself doesn't seem very welcoming from up here.

Hat Kid simply shrugged. If her Time Pieces were down there, then it was worth checking the place out. Plus, she was excited at the idea of exploring a new area. And come on, it's just a forest! Surely, there's nothing dangerous down there, right?

"Well, that's all we got for now, so... let's just go there," Arthur said with a shrug.

Before leaving, the duo made sure to take the sandwiches that Cooking Cat left in the fridge for them, before making their way to the hatch and opening it. They then jumped off, aiming for Subcon Forest.

* * *

Upon landing in the forest, the two children found themselves in a very unsettling atmosphere. The place was dark, all of the trees were leafless, lanterns were hanging around the area, and a dark purple fog was covering the whole forest. The cawing of crows and the howling of wolves in the distance matched the ominous atmosphere, sending a chill down the duo's spines.

"Okay, this place gives me the creeps already..." Arthur remarked nervously as he looked around the area. Hat Kid nodded in agreement, also feeling unnerved.

They had landed in some sort of clearing surrounded by big colored mushrooms, wooden fences, and warning signs saying 'BEWARE' and 'KEEP OUT!'. At the center of the clearing was a small pond with a very tall tree in the middle of it. The interior of the tree was hollow, the entrance was carved into a creepy face with a mailbox at the front of it, and a thick and thorny vine with wooden planks conveniently placed on it provided a way inside. Surprisingly, there appeared to be furnitures inside of the tree, meaning someone was living in it.

"I wonder who lives here," Arthur said, staring at the tall tree.

Out of curiosity, Hat Kid cautiously walked up the vine to take a look inside the tree, with Arthur following close behind.

"Hello?" the small girl said as she took a peek inside. The place was very small; there was a yellow and red carpet on the floor, a red armchair with a footrest, a bookshelf filled with books, a round table covered by a red tablecloth, and a grandfather clock. Glowing mushrooms on the ceiling were the only way providing a light source inside the tree. There was no bed though. Hat Kid wondered how the person who lived here could sleep without a bed.

"Doesn't seem like anyone's here right now," Arthur said, earning a nod from Hat Kid.

The two children decided not to intrude and backed away from the tree. As they did, they noticed some sort of small colored fire wall surrounding the clearing, past the fences. When they got near it, the fire wall suddenly grew higher, stopping the duo from crossing it.

"That's weird... Let's try to stay clear of it. I don't wanna get cooked," Arthur remarked, taking a step back alongside Hat Kid who nodded in agreement.

**"Greetings, young ones."**

Arthur and Hat Kid both yelped in surprise and jumped around at the sudden voice. However, they quickly relaxed when they saw it was just the Badge Seller.

"Oh, Badge Seller. Hey..." Arthur greeted them as he sighed in relief. "Listen, I know you like greeting people from behind, but can you not do that here please? This forest is freaky enough as it is."

**"My apologies, young man. Old habits die hard as we say,"** the Badge Seller said with an apologetic chuckle.

"They sure do. Anyway, how have you been? We haven't seen you since... well... the _intense_ recording for the Conductor's movie," Arthur said, shuddering at the memory of Train Rush.

**"Well... After selling you both the Hookshot Badge and leaving the train, I travelled around some more, looking for a new place to sell my merchandise,"** the glitchy vendor explained.

"And you came here to do that? I don't know, this place seems kinda... deserted," the young boy remarked, glancing around the forest. There was no one else around besides them. To be honest, 'dead' and 'spooky' fitted more the feeling that this forest gives off.

**"You never know where you will find customers,"** the Bagde Seller simply said with a smile. They then looked at the scar on Arthur's cheek and said, **"I see you ran into some... complications, young man,"** while giving him a concerned look. The young boy gave them a confused look, before he understood what they meant.

"Oh, that... Yeah... The Conductor did this to me. We got in a bit of a scuffle over a Time Piece... but it's okay, we made up," Arthur said, gently touching the scar on his cheek. It was clearly an understatement, but he didn't really want to tell the glitchy vendor that he ended up in an hospital bed after the fight. The Badge Seller gave them a sympathetic look. They knew he wasn't telling the whole truth, but they decided not to push it.

**"Anyway, I might have something to sell you, young man; and I know you will need it around this area,"** they added as they pulled out a badge. It was dark green with some kind of fox's face or mask – which eyes were glowing green – drawn on it. **"It is called the Dweller Badge."**

"Dweller Badge, huh? What does it do?" Arthur asked, looking at the badge curiously.

**"You might find some objects and platforms from other dimensions along your path. They are green and holographic in appearance. Unfortunately, you can not stand on them as you will pass right through. When wearing this badge on your hat, focus and you will create a temporary sphere around you that will materialize any green objects entering it, which will allow you to stand on them,"** the Badge Seller explained. Green holographic objects? This sounded familiar to Hat Kid. Indeed, she saw a green holographic platform leading to a rift pon when she went to fix the purple time rift that appeared in Dead Bird Studio. She also remembered that she couldn't stand on it since she didn't have any ability allowing her to materialize this platform.

"Sounds useful," Arthur replied interested.

**"There are also purple holographic objects that only exist in our current dimension and act the opposite of the green ones. Therefore, using the Dweller Badge on them will dematerialize those objects instead,"** the glitchy vendor added.

"I see. So how much it costs?" Arthur asked.

**"I sell it for 250 pons,"** the Badge Seller answered.

"I think I have that. Hang on a sec..." the twelve-year-old boy said as he checked his pockets for pons. "Ah, there we go. Here," he said, pulling out two bags of 100 pons and another one of 50 pons and giving them to the glitchy vendor. The latter took the pons and handed the Dweller Badge over to Arthur. They also gave him a badge pin for free so he could equip his new badge, which the young boy proceeded to do.

The Badge Seller then looked at Hat Kid, who excitedly waited for them to sell her the same badge, and said, **"Unfortunately, this was the only Dweller Badge I had in stock, miss. My apologies."**

"Oh..." Hat Kid said with a disappointed expression.

**"Do not worry though. You will be able to gain that ability thanks to a specific hat that you can make with a yarn present in this forest,"** the glitchy vendor reassured the small girl, making her grin in excitement. They then pulled out a blue badge with a brown winged boot drawn on it and said, **"In the meantime, I have this badge for you here: the No Bonk Badge. After diving, it will quicken your reflexes when nearing a wall, allowing you to perform a wall run and preventing you from bonking your head against the surface. 150 pons."**

Hat Kid thought for a second, before nodding. This might actually be useful to avoid some... possible accidents when diving near a wall. She pulled out a bag of 100 pons and another one of 50 pons, and gave them to the Badge Seller. In return, they gave her the No Bonk Badge, along with a free badge pin.

"Thank you!" the purple-hatted girl thanked them with a smile, putting the badge on her hat.

"Yeah, thanks for that, Badge Seller," Arthur said, earning a nod from the glitchy vendor. "So what's up with this big fire wall? Know anything about it?" he asked, looking back at the fire wall that was blocking their path.

**"Yes. This is a magical barrier generated by some inhabitants of this forest; no one can cross it, except for those who summoned it. In order to remove it, you will have to seek them out and do them a favor. Then, the barrier will disappear,"** the Badge Seller explained.

"So there _are_ people living here after all..." Arthur muttered. Strange place to live honestly... He hoped that the inhabitants of this forest will be friendly, but judging by how the place looks like and the fact that people don't return from it, it doesn't seem like it will be the case. "So... we just do their bidding and they'll remove the barrier for us? No fights needed or anything then?" he asked.

**"Do not worry, the Fire Spirits are friendly,"** the Badge Seller said.

"Spirits?! Great... Seems like this place is truly haunted after all..." Arthur muttered nervously.

**"Like I said, you do not need to fear the Fire Spirits. They are friendly, although you might find them a bit strange. Just do what they ask you to do, and they will remove the fire barrier for you,"** the glitchy vendor reassured them.

"Well, at least we don't have to knock their teeth out if they have some... I guess we'll go see these 'Fire Spirits', 'cause we need full access to the forest if we wanna find all of the Time Pieces that might have landed here," Arthur said to Hat Kid. The young alien nodded in agreement.

**"There is a village where some of the Fire Spirits currently reside. The path over there shall lead you to it,"** the Badge Seller said, motioning to the only path that wasn't blocked by the fire barrier.

"Sounds like the only lead we have. Thanks, Badge Seller," Arthur said, nodding at the glitchy vendor appreciatively.

**"Do not mention it,"** the Badge Seller said with a smile. **"Although, be careful to not run into the Snatcher,"** they warned the duo.

"Who?" Arthur asked with a confused look.

**"The Snatcher is a soul-stealing shadow and the self-proclaimed owner of Subcon Forest. If he catches you, your souls will be the next ones to go,"** the Badge Seller said with a serious and concerned expression. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other worriedly. A soul-stealing shadow? Fingers crossed that they won't run into him. **"Just watch your step, avoid his traps, and you will be fine."**

"Sounds simple enough, I guess... Anyway, we should get going. The sooner we find those Time Pieces, the faster we can get the hell out of here," Arthur said, earning a nod from Hat Kid.

**"I will leave you to it then. Take care, young ones, and I will see you again soon hopefully,"** the Badge Seller said.

"See you," Arthur said with a nod.

"Bye!" Hat Kid said, waving her hand at the glitchy vendor.

And with that, the Badge Seller walked away and disappeared behind the tall hollow tree. After that, the two children began walking along the path in order to find the Fire Spirits so they can remove the fire wall.

"Wait, who's that over there?" Arthur asked as he suddenly spotted someone on the path, making him place his arm in front of Hat Kid to stop her.

Indeed, there was a shadow-like person standing a few feet away before them. They appeared to be about the children's height and were wearing a tattered purple cloak with a hood of the same color. The strangest thing about this person was the large golden-white luminescence replacing the face inside the hole of the hood. What kind of creature was that?

The figure spotted the two children and stared at them for a few seconds, before they took off running. Curious about where the creature was going, Hat Kid ran after them.

"Hat Kid, wait!" Arthur shouted to try stopping her, but the small girl continued chasing the figure. "There she goes again..." he muttered with an annoyed sigh, before running after his friend.

The shadowy person ran further down the path, before stopping and turning around to face the two children chasing them. When the duo got close to the figure, a snapping sound was suddenly heard coming from the ground.

"What the- **AAHH!**"

Arthur and Hat Kid both yelped in surprise as a large tarp that was hidden in the ground suddenly swept them off their feet and tied them up in the air. The figure they were chasing chuckled mischieviously and ran off, leaving the duo trapped inside the tarp. Arthur crossed his arms and sent an irritated glare to Hat Kid.

"Nice **_goddamn_** job, miss happy-go-lucky! We just got baited like a couple of rats trying to get a tiny piece of cheese on top of a **_pecking_** mousetrap!" the twelve-year-old boy rebuked her angrily, tapping his fingers on his arm in an annoyed manner.

"Heh..." Hat Kid chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

Suddenly, a large stomp in the distance was heard outside of the tarp, startling both children.

"What the hell was that?" Arthur asked anxiously.

Then, another stomp was heard and this one was slightly louder. A flock of crows cawed and flew right past the tarp, before another stomp was heard a bit louder. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other anxiously. There was something out there and it was coming for them!

"On second thoughts, I don't wanna know. Let's get out of here quick!" Arthur suggested with a scared expression. Hat Kid nodded quickly.

The two children tried to work together by giving each other a boost to reach out of the tarp and untie themselves. Unfortunately, the ropes were too high up and therefore unreachable. More stomps were heard outside of the tarp, getting louder and closer every seconds. In a state of panic, the duo began to desperately punch the tarp and even use their weapons in an attempt to rip it open.

"Ow! Hey, watch it!" Arthur hissed angrily after he accidentally received a hit from Hat Kid's umbrella.

"Sorry!" the small girl apologized with a sheepish smile.

Suddenly, a clawed hand appeared above the tarp and cut the ropes with a single use of its claws. The tarp fell on the ground with the screams of the two children accompanying it. Arthur fell on the ground first, with Hat Kid landing on top of him. As the two of them got up, the sky became purple and dark clouds surrounded the area. Then, something slowly emerged from the ground and stared down at the duo menacingly. It was a very tall shadow with golden glowing eyes and a large golden grin with two sharp fangs. He had slim arms with two-fingered hands with claws, a tail instead of feet, and had what looked like to be hair on his neck. Arthur and Hat Kid both held each other and trembled in fear at the sight of the large and scary shadow.

**"AHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! _FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLS!_"** the shadow shouted with an evil laugh. **"You blew it! You've totally screwed yourselves! Nobody enters my home and leaves in one piece!"**

"W-w-who a-are y-y-you?" Arthur stammered in intense fear, as he and Hat Kid held each other tighter. Seeing a giant intimidating shadow on a picture or a movie was one thing, but seeing one in real life... it was _WAYYY_ more frightening than he imagined.

**"I am... THE SNATCHER! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"** the shadow introduced himself, cackling evilly. Oh perfect... Just the one the Badge Seller told them not to run into. They were really screwed this time... **"And like I said before, neither of you will leave my forest in one piece!"** He raised his clawed hand, ready to strike the two children as they braced themselves for the incoming blow. However, right before he could do it, an idea popped in his head and his grin grew wider.

**"Tell you what though! Hang on a minute! You both get to _live_!"** he said excitedly.

"W-w-what?" Arthur stuttered in a mix of confusion and fear.

**"That's right! Aren't you two lucky?! Normally I'd eat your souls and toss your bodies, but you're lucky ones! You won the lottery, because I just happened to be missing a couple of braindead servants!"** the Snatcher explained ecstatically. Arthur and Hat Kid slowly let go of each other and listened attentively. **"That's right! The old one got himself killed, his head popped off, and now I need new towel boys!"** he continued, before snapping his clawed fingers. Suddenly, a paper and a quill pen appeared in front of the duo, floating in the air.

**"So tell you what, I've got a piece of paper here! Don't worry about the details! I just need you both to sign right here at the bottom!"** the soul-stealing shadow said expectantly. Arthur and Hat Kid hesitantly approached the floating paper to read it.

The title said 'CONTRACT: CLEAN OUT THE SUBCON WELL', three objective were written below saying 'Find Subcon Village, Murder the Spirits, Clean the Subcon Well.' Next, the paper stated: 'The following parts of the forest will be available: Subcon Village, and Subcon Swamp,' with two pictures representing both places. Then, Arthur and Hat Kid's faces grew pale when they read the following message: 'I'll be keeping the following hostage: **your souls...** but keep anything you find on the way!' And finally, the word 'Signed' was written at the bottom of the paper, followed by an empty space waiting for the two children's names to be signed on it.

So... in exchange for their lives, they have to give their souls to the shadow and do his bidding? Hat Kid looked at the Snatcher and shook her head firmly. No way she'll be signing some shady contract with a big meanie who wants to take her soul away and force her and Arthur to do his dirty work. Plus, she didn't have time for this, she had to find the Time Pieces that fell in the forest. The Snatcher seemed displeased by the answer.

**"C'mon now, don't make this difficult! You don't really have a say in this! Sign the paper!"** the soul-stealing shadow insisted. Hat Kid shook her head once again. At this point, the Snatcher began to grow annoyed and impatient. He leaned over Arthur and Hat Kid, and said in a threatening voice, **"I don't think I made this clear enough: YOUR OPINION _DOESN'T_ MATTER TO ME. Put your names on the contract or I'll make your _dead, hollow bodies_ sign it for you!"**.

The threat caused the two children to jolt in fear. Hat Kid glanced at Arthur who frantically nodded at her to tell her to stop questioning it and sign the paper. The purple-hatted girl sighed in defeat and took the quill pen, before relucantly signing her name in her native language. She finished her signature by adding an emote wearing her top hat, winking and sticking its tongue out, and doing a V-sign with its hand. She then gave the quill pen to Arthur.

_'Guess I can kiss my soul goodbye then, if I ever had one...'_ the young boy thought depressingly and hopelessly, as he signed his name on the paper.

The Snatcher grinned widely, then he stamped the contract with a purple wax seal that looked like his face. He then snapped his fingers and the contract vanished.

**"AHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"** he laughed evilly, sending a chill down the duo's spines. **"That seals the deal! We're in business! Let me just grab these real quick..."** He then summoned a purple lightning with his hand and struck the two children with it. Arthur and Hat Kid both screamed and jolted in pain as the electricity went through their bodies. After that, they weakly fell on their elbows and knees. Two ghost forms, representing the souls of each of them, left their bodies and flew up in the air. The Snatcher grabbed the souls with one hand and clutched them in it with an evil smile.

Arthur and Hat Kid slowly and weakly got up to their feet, their legs trembling as they did. Their heads were spinning and they felt exceedingly empty inside. If Arthur wasn't feeling empty enough before, he sure did now.

**"Whoops! Guess these souls belong to _me_ now!"** the soul-stealing shadow said tauntingly. **"Don't worry, though! If you finish your chores quickly, you'll both have your souls back real soon!"** He looked at Hat Kid and said,** "And don't you dare forget our little contract! I've put in your hat so that it'll never leave your sight!"** Hat Kid's eyes widened and removed her hat to check the content. And sure enough, the contract was in there, neatly rolled up to fit inside. The young alien sighed and put her hat back on her head.

**"Anyway, I'm off! Smell you later, kiddos! AHHHHAHAHAHAHA!"** the Snatcher said with a final evil laugh. And then, he vanished into the ground, his laugh echoing as he did.

The dark clouds surrounding the area disappeared and the duo were back in the forest, right where they were before. They remained quiet for a moment, trying to process what just happened.

"... I feel like jumping off a cliff," Arthur blurted out with a blank expression. Hat Kid looked at him, but instead of showing concern, she simply kept a neutral face. Normally, whenever the boy said something like that, Hat Kid would feel concerned and try to comfort him, but right now she just... didn't care? Must be a side effect of having no soul.

What a mess... Now they were soulless and were forced to do everything the Snatcher wants them to do in order to get their souls back. Looks like it'll be a while before they can retrieve the Time Pieces and leave this forest for good...

**A/N: Hey everyone! There it is! Subcon Forest! Arthur and Hat Kid finally meet the Snatcher, and as you all expected, their souls were taken and they now have to work for the shadow to try and get them back. This is gonna be... interesting to say the least.**

**Also, exciting news! You may have noticed it, but I've made a cover for the story and drew Arthur! I wanted to draw him for a while now, so you guys can see how he looks like in the story instead of having a simple description of his appearance in the prologue. And finally, I did it! If you wanna have a better look of the cover, I'll put a link below to the full size of the cover, and also another one with four drawings of Arthur (Normal, Hatless, Post-Conductor Fight (With and Without the Hat)). Tell me all what you think of them. I'm honestly happy with the result.**

**Cover's Full Size: sta. sh/0oeg1bheg1x**

**Arthur Jones's Design: sta. sh/027pvphqrqxb**

**(Make sure to remove the space between 'sta.' and 'sh'. I put it there, otherwise Fanfiction would remove half of the link.) **

**Anyway, time to answer a few reviews!**

_**To nico2411:**_** Yup. Well, as you can see, Arthur was frightened as heck, alongside Hat Kid. Now let's see how they will handle the rest... Anyway, thank you! Glad you're enjoying my story!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Thank you! Indeed, he is. XD**

_**To Rub37:**_** Indeed. The Snatcher already gave them a first little taste of his... joyful hospitality. XD**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Yup, the "soon-deh-ray" made his fabulous entrance! XD Hmm, I don't know if I will make them appear before these events. It's not planned at least. But who knows? Maybe some ideas can come through my mind at any moments and change some things. You'll just have to wait and see. Hmm, maybe I'll include the Captain. It's true that I will write the DLCs before the Finale, so it'll make sense to have him in. We'll see. Anyway, thank you!**

_**To Snowballs FF:**_** I can kinda imagine that moment. XD The Subcon Forest acts have now started. And yeah, soon there'll be the Seals one. ;) But first, there'll be Alpine Skyline and the final act of Mafia Town 'Cheating the Race', before Arctic Cruise.**

_**To Mad King C:**_** It's okay, take your time. I understand if you have important stuff to do in real life.**

_**To HexoSpikeZ:**_** Hmm, well, it's true that Arthur and Hat Kid are bonding. Though, I'll say it now: it's not gonna be a romantic relationship. It'll be more like a brother-sister bond.**

_**To E:**_** Welp, I managed to fit in two braindead servants. XD**

_**To Jolteron:**_** Thank you! Indeed, despite being not as skilled as Hat Kid when it comes to fighting, Arthur can still hold his own, even against an adult bird holding a knife. Because of his past, he learned to be cautious and have quick reflexes during a fight, so it helps him quite a lot. And yeah, the Conductor did care about the kids, especially Arthur, which is why he apologized to them. And yeah, Subcon Forest already gave the duo a little taste of what's happening there. Now, let's see how things will go. *smug face***

**Anyway, that's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Following their unpleasant meeting with the Snatcher, the two children continued walking down the path in order to find Subcon Village. Neither of them spoke a word to each other, they were still in shock and disbelief at what just happened. They couldn't believe they had to sign a contract with a soul-stealing shadow and give up their souls to save their own lives. Not just that, but they were now forced to do whatever the Snatcher asked them if they wanted to get their souls back.

They didn't know how to feel about this. In fact, they didn't feel _anything at all_. The moment their souls left their respective bodies, it was like all of their emotions left them too. Any forms of happiness – which Arthur already lacked of – sadness, sympathy, etc, were like all gone in a puff of smoke. Misery, emptiness, numbness, and hopelessness were the only things they felt right now; even Hat Kid, who is normally cheerful and happy, felt devoid of any sorts of emotion. Is it how Arthur feels most of the time? It surely isn't fun...

The duo just hoped that once they complete their contract, the Snatcher will honor his part of the deal and give them their souls back. Also, they had to make sure to not forget about the Time Pieces. It was stated in the contract that they could keep anything they find on the way; therefore, they could try to look for Time Pieces while they deal with their contractual obligations.

At some point, they arrived at an intersection with the path continuing to the right and a bridge on the left. In the middle of the intersection was some sort of cage made of bones and a... weird-looking skull with a big green eye. It seemed to be staring at two huge purple cherries resting on the ground. There were also some snake-like ghost creatures wearing animal masks floating around on the spot. As Arthur and Hat Kid walked near them, the serpentine creatures stared at them curiously, not speaking a word or doing anything. The two children did their best to ignore the stares, even though it was quite unnerving for them.

And finally, there were two shadow-like cloaked figures, similar to the one the duo tried to chase earlier before meeting the Snatcher. They seemed to be talking to each other as they looked at the bone cage.

"Ah great... More of these guys looking like the one who screwed us over back there," Arthur said bitterly. The two figures heard him talk and turned their attention to him and Hat Kid.

"Oh, you're the newbies who recently signed a contract with our boss, right?" one of them asked.

"Yeah... and you are?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"We're minions working for the Snatcher. He summoned us to keep an eye on his forest and deal with anything that appears to be causing trouble for him," the other figure explained. Minions summoned by a soul-stealing ghost? Sounds about right.

"So you're just doing his dirty work then," Arthur remarked unamused.

"Uhh, yeah, in a sense..." one of the minions answered uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his head. "Anyway, would you mind helping us with a little problem we have? The boss asked us to get rid of this cage here," he asked, pointing at the bone cage with the skull on it.

"We've been trying to do that for hours, but no way to make a dent into the cage or the skull. Maybe you both can help?" the other one said.

"Well, I'm afraid we don't have time for it. We have to get to Subcon Village to do the things the Snatcher told us to do," Arthur explained.

"If you help us, we can take you there," the minion offered.

While they were talking, Hat Kid spotted something inside the bone cage. She squinted her eyes and noticed it was a yarn. It appeared to be different from the ones she collected previously, which means she can use it to make a new hat – probably the one the Badge Seller told her about earlier.

The purple-hatted girl tugged at Arthur's arm to get his attention and pointed at the yarn inside the cage. The young boy eventually noticed it. It is true that Hat Kid could use the yarn to make a new hat, and if the minions were ready to show them the way to the village if they helped them, then perhaps it was worth trying to get rid of the cage for them.

"Alright, we're gonna help you," Arthur said with a nod. The two minions seemed happy to hear that. "So you really got no clue on how to destroy the cage then?" he asked, putting his hands on his hips, as he stared at the cage in wonder.

"Not really. We tried moving it, cutting it, smashing it... but nothing worked so far. I think it might be indestructible," one of the minions explained. Arthur decided to make a test. He pulled out his crowbar and walked up to the cage. He tried hitting it and pulling on some parts that looked weak, without any success.

"Yeah, you're right. It's not going anywhere like this. You sure there's no other way to destroy it? I mean, it's not like you can actually destroy something that's meant to be _indestructible_," Arthur said as he put his crowbar away. The two minions put their hands on their chins in thought.

"Well, the skull on this cage seems to have its eye on those cherries for some reason," one of them said, motioning to the two big cherries on the ground. "I know they have a specific name, but I don't remember it."

"Yeah, me neither..." the other one added.

"Hmm..." Hat Kid hummed, putting her hand on her chin in thought, as she looked at the abnormally huge fruits.

She walked up to one of them and picked it up, then she noticed that the skull on the cage kept eyeing the cherry as she picked it up. She began walking away with it, and the skull simply continued to stare at the fruit while she was moving. While she was walking, she passed near one of the snake-like, mask wearing spirits and the latter suddenly flew right inside the cherry, startling the girl. To her surprise, the fruit turned bright red and began... flashing and beeping?

"Uhhh... Why is it beeping?" Arthur asked nervously.

"Oh, now I remember its name... It's a cherry bomb," one of the minions said nervously.

"A _**WHAT?!**_" Arthur yelled in shock.

"A cherry bomb! **TAKE COVER!**" the minion shouted as he took cover behind a tree stump, alongside the other minion and Arthur.

In a state of panic, Hat Kid threw the cherry away as far as she could, before running away to take cover behind the tree stump. The cherry pulsated and beeped faster, and then... _**BOOM!**_ Everyone covered their ears as it exploded. After that, the minions, Arthur, and Hat Kid all peeked over the tree stump to see the small explosion mark left on the ground with smoke coming out of it.

"Yep, it was a cherry bomb..." the same minion, who remembered the name, said nervously.

"You don't say," Arthur said sarcastically and nervously.

To everyone's surprise, the same serpentine spirit that entered the cherry reappeared and floated back to its original spot, completely unharmed.

"What are those things?" Arthur asked, looking at the spirit confused.

"Oh, they're called Dwellers. We've seen them all around the forest, and apparently they've been living here even before the boss summoned us. They don't talk to anyone though," one of the minions explained.

"But they seem to love those cherry bombs," the other one remarked.

"Yeah, and the results are quite... explosive too," Arthur said with a grimace. At least, the cherry's explosion was small, so it seems to give enough space to stay out of harm's way.

Arthur and Hat Kid then noticed that the skull on the cage was now looking at the remaining cherry bomb, and it gave them an idea. The twelve-year-old boy walked up to the fruit and picked it up.

"Oof... Damn, this is heavy!" he said, struggling a little with the cherry's weight. He then walked up to one of the Dwellers and it flew inside the fruit, setting it off. Arthur then tossed the cherry away and ran away from it. The fruit exploded seconds later and the Dweller that went inside of it returned to its original spot.

The skull on the bone cage looked around to see if there were any other cherries left, but it wasn't the case. Since it no longer had anything left to keep its eye on, the skull vanished alongside the cage, freeing the yarn inside of it.

Hat Kid picked it up and examined it. It was a green and red yarn. Nice! Now she could make a new hat! She pulled out her umbrella and eleven yarns she had been keeping on her. She surprisingly managed to threw all of the yarns in the air and, with quick movements of her umbrella, a new hat – or in this case, a mask – fell into her hand.

"Tadaaaaa!" she said with a proud grin, holding the mask up in the air. It was a fox mask, similar to the one that some Dwellers were wearing. Therefore, she decided to call it: the Dweller's Mask.

"Awesome!" the two minions cheered as they clapped, impressed by the performance. Hat Kid bowed down to thank them, before putting the mask in her pocket.

"Thank you for helping us get rid of that bone cage, newbies! As promised, we'll take you both to Subcon Village," one of the minions said gratefully.

"Thanks," Arthur said appreciatively.

"Oh, before we go, since you're new and all, there's something we gotta tell you both," the minion said in a serious tone.

"What is it?" Arthur asked.

"You see that bridge over there? Don't go that way," the minion said, pointing at the bridge blocked off by the fire wall that seemed to be leading to a snowy area.

"Why?" the twelve-year-old boy asked as he and Hat Kid gave him confused looks.

"Well, there's a big manor a bit further ahead," the minion explained.

"Yeah, and there's someone living there... and trust us, you don't wanna meet _her_," the other one added, shivering at the thought of _her_.

"Even the boss doesn't want to go over there. Don't tell him we said that though..." the other minion said.

Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other worriedly. If even the Snatcher didn't want to go near that manor, then the person living there must be the real deal. They made a mental note to stay away from the manor if they can.

"Anyway, follow us. We'll take you to the village," one of the minions said, motioning for the duo to follow them. Arthur and Hat Kid did as they were told.

The group walked further down the path, passing near the swamp, some tombstones, and a few other minions; until they eventually reached their destination.

"Here we are, newbies! Welcome to Subcon Village!" one of the minions accompanying the duo said enthusiastically, extending his arms out to show the place.

The village was a large opening with tree trunk houses, mushrooms, flying hooks, a few scattered cherry bombs, and some roaming Dwellers and minions.

"Looks like a cozy place," Arthur said as he looked around. To be honest, that wouldn't be his top choice for a home, but at least it seemed livable. Some minions inside the houses were peeking from behind their doors, watching the two children with curious and skeptical looks. When they passed near them, the minions shut their doors immediately. "... and welcoming too, for that matter," the young boy remarked sarcastically.

"Oh, don't pay attention to that. Some of us are a bit shy around newcomers," one of the two minions explained.

"But don't worry, they'll warm up to you eventually!" the other one reassured the duo.

"If you say so," Arthur said with a shrug.

"Anyway, we gotta leave now. It was nice meeting you both!" the minion said.

"Yeah, thanks again for the help! Feel free to visit our village if you've got time!" the other one said.

"Okay, see you," Arthur said with a nod, while Hat Kid waved her hand at the minions. The latters then walked away to go about their business, leaving the two children alone. "Alright, we made it to the village. Let's check that contract again to see what we have to do here now," the young boy suggested. Hat Kid nodded, before removing her hat to take the contract inside and read it.

After unrolling the paper, the duo checked their next objective. 'Find Subcon Village' was crossed off of the list; now they had to 'Murder the Spirits'. It probably meant the Fire Spirits that the Badge Seller told them about.

"So we have to kill the spirits next... Not really sure how you can kill an immortal being though, but I guess we'll figure it out," Arthur said in a casual way. Normally, the idea of having to kill somebody – even if it was a spirit – would horrify him, but that wasn't the case this time because of the lack of soul. And he wasn't the only one, Hat Kid didn't look bothered by the task given to them either.

"Alright, let's go find those Fire Spirits then," the young boy said. Hat Kid nodded, before rolling up the contract and putting it back in her hat.

The two children walked through the village, looking for the Fire Spirits. Eventually, they spotted a fire pit with three foxes made of fire dancing around it. They must be the Fire Spirits in question. As they were about to head towards the spirits, something suddenly came out of the ground in front of the children, causing them to jump back in surprise. It was the Snatcher.

**"WHHHHYYYYYYY HELLO THERE! You didn't forget about me, did you?! Don't tell me you forgot about me!"** the soul-stealing shadow said obnoxiously.

"If I could just forget about you, I would," Arthur said bitterly, earning an annoyed look from the Snatcher.

**"Whatever, kiddo. Anyway, what's up? You both working on any contractual obligations lately? You better be! Remember our little deal!"** the Snatcher reminded them with a stern expression.

"We didn't forget," Arthur said annoyed.

**"Good,"** the Snatcher said, before looking at the fire foxes. **"Check it out. Those incredibly annoying Fire Spirits are sitting right there, in the middle of _my_ village. Their little dance is creating these incredibly annoying barriers that stop me from getting to parts of my forest. It's almost like they're trying to put an end to me... how adorable."** Looks like their intuition was right; these foxes are the Fire Spirits indeed. And like the Badge Seller said, they were the ones creating the fire barriers all around the forest.

**"Dispose of them. I don't care how you two do it, as long as they _suffer_ for entering my domain! _HEHEHEHE!_"** the Snatcher ordered, laughing evilly and making the duo uncomfortable. **"Anyways, back to work, troopers! This isn't a vacation, and I'm getting impatient!"** he said in an impatient tone.

"Alright, alright, we're on it," Arthur said, exasperated by the shadow's impatience. Satisfied with the answer, the Snatcher vanished into the ground to let the two children do their task. The twelve-year-old boy sighed and said, "Great... now that he made us sign that piece of paper, he bosses us around like we were in a goddamn military service. I swear, if he makes us clean his toilet at some point, I'm gonna throw a fit!", in an irritated tone. Hat Kid nodded, agreeing with him. Fingers crossed that the Snatcher won't make them clean his toilet if he has one. It'd be pretty gross!

"Anyway, let's move," Arthur said after calming down.

The two children made their way up to the Fire Spirits. When they got near them, one of the spirits stopped dancing and looked at the duo.

_"We want to die! Yay!"_ the Fire Spirit said in an creepy way.

_'Heh... Welcome to the club, buddy,'_ Arthur thought with a blank expression.

_"We want to burn bright, and then burn out! Become a cloud of smoke!"_ the Fire Spirit continued._ "Our bonfire needs more fuel... only the finest paintings will do! Can you help us?"_

"Uh, sure... if it does you a favor," Arthur said with a shrug. Even those Fire Spirits got more guts than him when it comes to commit suicide... The spirit nodded gratefully at the two children, before going back to dancing around the fire pit.

"Let's go find some paintings then," the young boy said to Hat Kid, who nodded in response.

When looking around for the paintings, they spotted one not too far from their position. To their shock, the painting was trying to suck up a Mafia man into it. The latter was dangerously close to it and was attempting to run away to escape it. Unfortunately for him, the aspiration of the frame was too strong to escape from, so all he managed to do was run in place.

"Help! Little hat kids, help!" the Mafia man pleaded after spotting the two children, while still attempting to escape his doom.

Normally, when seeing someone in need of help, Arthur and Hat Kid would attempt to save them, but because they were soulless, neither of them really cared. The lack of souls was really putting a dent in the good side of their personalities... Arthur shook his head to try returning to reality. Just because he had no soul didn't mean he had to be the worst person on earth. He made a promise to the Mafia Barman that he would try to help his fellow Mafia friends if he saw them, so he will force himself to help the goon out of this mess.

However, as Arthur stepped forward to help him, Hat Kid suddenly ran at the Mafia man and kicked him between the legs. The man howled in pain and got on his knees as he clutched to his private part. The Mafia goon suddenly noticed he wasn't running anymore and said, "Uh oh...", before screaming as the painting sucked him in, trapping him inside for good. A bright light flashed from the painting, before it faded away. A distorted image of the Mafia man with a horrified expression now appeared on the painting.

"What the hell was that?" Arthur asked Hat Kid, visibly troubled by her actions. The small girl simply shrugged, feeling completely indifferent at what she just did.

At this point, Arthur began to feel worried. It was so unlike Hat Kid to do something like that, even when it comes to a Mafia man. It was clear that having no soul was starting to have a negative effect on the both of them. Even more reasons to finish their contract as quickly as possible, so they can get their souls back.

Arthur sighed and said, "Let's just bring that painting to the bonfire." He picked up the painting with the Mafia man trapped inside and tossed it into the fire.

_"More! More!" _one of the Fire Spirits chanted.

To the Fire Spirits' request, the duo began searching around Subcon Village for more paintings to bring to the bonfire. They found one with an Express Owl trapped inside on top of a tree trunk, and another one with some sort of orange-furred cat with a red bandana and scarf trapped inside on a wooden platform. They brought them back to the fire pit and threw them in it.

_"Yes! More!"_ one of the Fire Spirits chanted happily.

"More? Geez, how many of those paintings do we have to burn yet?" Arthur asked annoyed.

_"Just one! Yay!"_ another Fire Spirit responded.

"Alright then, let's get it over with," Arthur suggested. Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

As they searched for the last painting, the duo found two yarns, as well as two relics in the village – a stereoptypical UFO much to Hat Kid's annoyance, and a cow toy. Some of them were imprisoned in ice cubes, so the two children had to use cherry bombs to blow them up and free the collectables.

Eventually, they found the last painting imprisoned inside another ice cube, and used a cherry bomb to free it from its ice prison. However, Arthur's eyes widened when he recognized the person trapped in the frame.

"Wait! That's the Badge Seller!" the young boy said, stopping Hat Kid from picking it up. The small girl's eyes widened in shock. Oh no! The Badge Seller got caught in the painting! They couldn't just burn this painting with the glitchy vendor in it; the latter helped them in more ways than one since the beginning of their adventure. Is there no way to free them from the painting?

**"Do not worry, I am right here,"** a voice said from behind. Arthur and Hat Kid turned around, and to their shock, the Badge Seller was here, outside of the painting. The two children glanced at the painting that still had the Badge Seller's image on it, then back at the glitchy vendor with confused expressions.

"But... you... what...? How?" Arthur asked, pointing at the painting, then at the Badge Seller in total confusion.

**"The painting began to suck me in during a moment of distraction, but I managed to escape it thanks to my magical powers. The one you see in the painting is a double of my being... to put it simply: a clone, not the real me,"** the Badge Seller explained with a smile.

"I guess that makes sense..." Arthur said with a shrug. The glitchy vendor then sensed the lack of soul coming from the two children and their smile dropped.

**"I take it you both met the Snatcher,"** the Badge Seller said. Arthur and Hat Kid both nodded.

"Yeah, unfortunately... He made us sign a contract and took our souls. Now we're forced to do his dirty work in order to get them back," the twelve-year-old boy explained with an hopeless sigh. "Is there a way you can help us? Can't you use your powers against him, or to at least get our souls back?" he asked in a pleading tone.

The Badge Seller shook his head and sadly said, **"Unfortunately, my powers aren't strong enough to match against the Snatcher... The only way for you to retrieve your souls is to complete all the tasks on your contract."** Arthur and Hat Kid looked down with glum expressions.

"Easier said than done. I mean, who knows if he's even gonna let us go once we complete our part of the deal... He could be plotting our deaths once we're no longer of any use to him. And seriously, how can we beat a ghost? We all know they're invulnerable to attacks from mortals," Arthur said in a depressed tone.

**"If that is the case, then remember to see through his weaknesses. For that, remember the Mafia Boss's weakness,"** the Badge Seller explained. The two children gave them confused looks. Then, their eyes widened as it finally clicked.

"Of course, the blue attacks!" Arthur said as he and Hat Kid looked at each other in realization. Indeed, during their fight with the Mafia Boss, the latter would occasionally turn blue and it was the only moment he was vulnerable to the duo's attacks. If it worked the same for the Snatcher, then maybe they stood a chance against him if they ever have to fight the soul-stealing shadow to earn their freedom. Hopefully, it'll never come to that.

**"Now you understand,"** the Badge Seller said with a smile.

"We do. Thanks, Badge Seller," Arthur said appreciatively. Hat Kid nodded at the glitchy vendor with a grateful smile.

The Badge Seller nodded at them, before saying, **"Anyway, I must take my leave now. You can use the painting with my double trapped inside for the bonfire. I do not mind. I will see you both another time."**

"Alright then. See you, Badge Seller," Arthur said.

"Bye!" Hat Kid said, waving her hand at the glitchy vendor.

The Badge Seller nodded, then walked away, vanishing behind a tree. After that, Hat Kid picked up the painting with the Badge Seller's clone trapped in there and brought it back to the Fire Spirits' bonfire, before tossing the frame in it. Right after she did, the fire grew higher and brighter.

_"Thank youuuuu!"_ all of the Fire Spirits said gratefully, before the bonfire exploded into a pillar of flame. The spirits were consumed by the fire and they vanished out of sight. Shortly after that, the fire pit extinguished itself; the Fire Spirits were now gone, along with the fire barrier surrounding most parts of the forest.

"Burn, burn, _**BURN!**_" Hat Kid shouted with an evil grin. Arthur rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation. It was like dealing with an evil version of Hat Kid. Not that he was any better at the moment...

Suddenly, dark clouds surrounded the duo, causing them to look around frantically in panic. Shortly after, the Snatcher appeared before them after emerging from the ground. He wore a satisfied grin on his face.

**"WELL DONE! Please tell me they suffered. You murdered them, right? I bet you strangled them. Good kids! _Ha Ha ha ha!_"** he said with a sinister laugh.

"Sure..." Arthur lied with a grimace. Hat Kid nodded to back up his lie.

**"Don't think I'm done with you two yet, though! There's more of these pests around my forest, and I need you both to take care of every single one,"** the Snatcher said sternly.

"Fine..." Arthur said with an annoyed sigh.

**"Good! Next on your to-do list: Clean up the Subcon Well. That's right, you're plumbers now! Congratulations on your promotion!"** the Snatcher said mockingly.

"Hooray," the young boy said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. The Snatcher ignored him and continued speaking.

**"I also have some... other... work for you that I cannot do myself. And hey, as long as I need you two, you both get to stay alive. What a deal, huh?"** the soul-stealing shadow said. He then snapped his fingers and two other contracts popped in front of the two children. **"But enough talk! You kids look like you can handle multiple things on your plates at once! Let's get you an additional contract! Pick one, but only one! Isn't it thrilling to sign your lives away?"** he said tauntingly. Arthur and Hat Kid glared at him after hearing that.

"Hang on a sec, you wanna give us more? We only signed for **one** contract! You didn't say anything about another!" the twelve-year-old boy spat angrily. In response, the Snatcher leaned closer to the children enough to make them uncomfortable and lean back in fear.

**"As your contract maker and partner, I own you both. It's do or _die_, kiddos. Now pick a contract and sign your names on it, or else I'll put them on a _gravestone_ for each of you!"** the soul-stealing shadow said in a threatening tone. Arthur and Hat Kid both gulped in intense fear.

With no other choice, the duo approached the two floating contracts and read the first one. The title said 'CONTRACT: GET ME SOMETHING FROM THE MANOR', the list of objectives was 'Enter the Manor, Find out what's in the attic', followed by 'The following parts of the forest will be available: The Manor' with two pictures – one of a frozen cave and another one of the manor – and 'I'll be keeping the following hostage: your souls... but keep anything you find on the way,' then finally the space where they have to sign. The second contract's title was 'CONTRACT: DELIVER SUBCON MAIL', the objective was 'Deliver packages to 10 of my minions'. The rest of it was about the same things as the other contract with a few differences: the whole forest will become available, and the pictures showed the Snatcher wearing a mailman's cap and a purple mail delivery scooter with the shadow's face on the front and the side of the vehicle.

Hat Kid looked between the two contracts, her hand on her chin as she thought about which one to pick. The delivering task sounds easier and it will save them from having to go to the manor that the minions told them not to go to, but the other contract says that there is something inside the attic of the manor... it could be one of her Time Pieces. If that was the case, then it might be worth checking the manor out, despite the minions' warning.

She took the quill pen and was about to put her name on the contract for the manor task, but she was stopped by Arthur who grabbed her arm and looked at her as if she was crazy.

"The manor?! Are you out of your mind?! The minions told us not to go there!" the twelve-year-old boy reminded her. Hat Kid whispered in his ear to tell him that one of the Time Pieces might be there. "Come on now, we don't know that for sure!" Arthur insisted. He really didn't want to meet whoever or whatever lived in that manor, because the way the minion described _her_ clearly didn't sound good.

**"Come on, kids, I don't have all night. Make a choice already!"** the Snatcher said with his arms crossed, getting impatient.

Hat Kid crossed her arms and gave Arthur a firm look, showing that she wasn't going to change her mind. Having no choice but to accept, Arthur sighed in defeat and muttered, "Fine." He had a feeling that going to that manor will be one of the worst decisions they ever made... but that was Hat Kid's call so... peck it. He let go of Hat Kid's arm, allowing her to sign the contract, which she proceeded to do. The small girl then gave the quill pen to him, and he signed his name as well.

The Snatcher checked the contract they signed and his grin dropped. His expression was blank as he stared at the paper, and the duo could see a hint of... fear on his face? The soul-stealing shadow shook his head to regain his composure and stamped the contract, before snapping his fingers and making the two contracts vanish.

**"Good choice! Let's hope you're both up for the task!"** the Snatcher said in an almost nervous tone. Well, looks like the minions were right: even the Snatcher seems to fear the one living in the manor. Hat Kid was already starting to regret her choice, but it was too late now. **"Oh, by the way, you're looking for Time Pieces, right?"** the soul-stealing shadow suddenly asked. Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes widened.

"Wait, you... know about them?" Arthur asked in shock.

**"Yup! They're no secret to me, kiddo,"** the Snatcher said. The two children were dumbfounded. How did he find out about the Time Pieces? Neither of them told him about them. **"What? It should be ringing a bell to you kids: I'm a shadow! Anything I see, I instantly know what it is,"** he explained smugly.

"I guess that makes sense," Arthur said with a shrug. Hat Kid nodded as she rubbed the back of her head uncomfortably. Hopefully, it won't be give the shadow any idea...

**"Anyway, I found one of them while haunting some poor soul! You can keep it, but this is the only time I'll reward you two for completing parts of a contract! Because guess what? I'm not legally obligated to! _HA HA HA HA HA!_"** the Snatcher said mockingly. He then snapped his fingers, then a Time Piece appeared and floated down in front of the children. Hat Kid grabbed it and smiled as she looked at it. Even though they lost their souls and were forced to do the Snatcher's bidding, getting one of her Time Pieces back made it all worth it. There has got to be more around Subcon Forest, and maybe if they do their job very well, the soul-stealing shadow might reward them with more Time Pieces.

**"Now enough chatting! You've got a well to clean up. Have fun! _AHHHHAHAHAHAHA!_"** the Snatcher said with an evil laugh, before vanishing into the ground. The clouds around the children cleared and they were back in Subcon Village.

"Bastard..." Arthur muttered angrily under his breath. He sighed and said, "Well, we've got another contract on our hands... At least, now we know for sure there are Time Pieces in this forest... and that the Snatcher knows about them too. God dammit..." He shook his head, before saying, "Well, let's bring this one back to the spaceship at least."

With a nod, Hat Kid grabbed Arthur's hand and held the Time Piece up in the air. However, nothing happened. The duo looked at the Time Piece confused.

"Uhh... Why isn't it working?" Arthur asked puzzled. Hat Kid shrugged, feeling confused as well. That's weird, it never happened before. "Can I give it a try?" he asked. Hat Kid nodded and gave him the Time Piece. He held the Time Piece up in the air, but nothing happened either. "What's wrong with it? Why isn't it sending us back to the ship?" he asked in a worried tone.

The Snatcher's head suddenly popped out of the ground and he said, **"Oh, I forgot to mention... Since you gave me your souls, the Time Piece thinks you two are dead, so you can't use it to leave my forest. You're stuck here until you finish all of your contracts! That's **_**too bad**_**! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"** And with that, he left again. The two children were dumbfounded and shocked at this newfound information.

Arthur's eye twitched, and soon his voice was heard through the whole forest, forcing Hat Kid and all of the minions in the area to cover their ears, and startling a flock of crows that flew out of the forest, as he yelled, "ARE YOU _**PECKING**_ KIDDING ME?!".

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! I hope you liked this new chapter! Sooo... about the whole lack-of-soul thingy, I would think that being soulless, in addition of feeling empty, it would also remove every bits of humanity you have within you. Therefore, that's why Arthur and Hat Kid don't really care about having to kill someone or do bad things – and unfortunately that Mafia man paid the price of their lack of souls – although they acknowledge it's not right. And also, having no souls has another side effect in which the duo can't use the Time Pieces to return on the spaceship. Therefore, they're stuck in Subcon Forest until they complete of their contractual obligations. Whoops! Looks like they'll be sleeping outside tonight. *nervous chuckle***

**Anyway, time to answer a few reviews!**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** Indeed, Arthur and Hat Kid know that the Snatcher can't be trusted after pulling something like that. But he's still a 'soon-deh-ray' anyway! XD**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** You'll see very soon. ;)**

_**To Rub37:**_** Thank you! I'm really happy with the drawings I made. Arthur is exactly how I imagined him in my head, and now, you have an actual visual of his appearance instead of a written description.**

_**To HexoSpikeZ:**_** Alrighty! Anyway, thanks! And yeah, things will get tougher for the duo from now on. And don't worry, I'm pretty sure some readers 'ship' Arthur and Hat Kid together. Eh, it's not canon in my story, so I don't mind. XD Oh, and sure, you can make as many artworks as you like about Arthur or anyone else in my story! I'll also be happy to see it, if you wanna show me your drawing. The same goes for everyone else, if you ever want to make an artwork on my OCs and/or stories, you have my permission. ^^**

**Anyway, that's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	30. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"What a mess... What a goddamn mess..." Arthur said in a depressed tone, with both of his hands covering his face.

He and Hat Kid were currently outside of Subcon Village, the both of them sitting against a tree. After the unpleasant revelation that they couldn't go back to the spaceship because they had no souls, the young boy threw a fit and began yelling various insults about the Snatcher and the forest itself. Hat Kid had to cover his mouth and escort him out of the village, so he could blow off some steam before he could say something offending in front of the minions. After letting his frustration out, Arthur calmed down a little, but now he was in a state of depression. Hat Kid was at his side and she had her arm wrapped around his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

"I can't believe that ghost... First, he takes our souls, makes us do his dirty work as if we were his damn maids, then he adds another contract to the pile and tells us we can't even leave?! Screw that grinning **bastard**!" the twelve-year-old boy said angrily. He then sighed as he removed his hands from his face, and he said, "Face it, Hat Kid, he'll never let us go. Who knows how many of those contracts he has in store for us? For all we know, it's an endless pile of chores that he'll keep throwing at us while he sits on a cozy chair, sipping his cocktail. And even if he runs out of contracts eventually, I'm pretty sure he'll try to get rid of us just to keep our souls."

He paused to let out a deep sigh, before he continued talking, "Listen... I know that the Badge Seller told us about his weakness, but let's be honest; he's a _GHOST_! Have you ever fought a ghost before, kid?". Hat Kid looked down in thought and shook her head. No, she never fought a ghost in any of her past adventures. Therefore, she wasn't sure either if it was even possible to defeat the Snatcher if they ever have to fight him.

"That's what I thought," Arthur muttered. A short silence occured before he spoke again. "I just can't see a way out of this, Hat Kid... Even if we collect all the Time Pieces in this forest, without our souls, I... I don't see the point anymore. We're just slaves at the mercy of a shadow that steals souls for a living... What can we even do now?" he said as he looked down, feeling hopeless.

Hat Kid glanced down in thought. It's true that there's not much they can do about the situation right now, and it's even harder to believe that there might be a way out of it... but the young alien still wanted to believe it, even if all hope seems lost at the moment. Maybe if they keep doing these contracts that the Snatcher gives them, perhaps an opportunity will present itself at some point and they might find a way to get their souls back, along with the Time Pieces and their freedom. They have to keep going, but Arthur seems ready to give up now. How can she convince him to hold on until they find a solution to their trouble?

Hat Kid then smiled as an idea came through her mind. She pulled out a pen and a paper, and wrote something on it. After that, she tugged on the short sleeve of Arthur's shirt, making him look at her. She then showed him the paper, while giving him an encouraging smile. It said 'As long as we have each other, we can do anything', followed by a smiling emote. Arthur stared at the paper for a few seconds, before he looked down in thought, letting the words sink in.

"I guess that's true," the young boy said, smiling slightly. "I don't know how you do it, Hat Kid. To keep going, even when all seems lost. How do you just keep going in a situation like this? Why... do you keep going?"

Hat Kid looked down in thought, then she smiled and wrote something else on her paper, before showing it to the boy. It said 'Because I know I'm not alone. I have my friends and the people at home that keep me going... and I have _you_ too now,' followed by a winking emote.

Arthur looked at her shocked after reading this. So now... he was one of the reasons that kept her going? He wasn't sure how to react or feel about this – not that he could feel a lot right now – nor did he know which role he played in it... but he appreciated it.

"Heh... I'll never understand what you see in me that is worth wasting your time on, but... I appreciate it. Thank you," he said genuinely and appreciatively, smiling at her. Hat Kid only responded by hugging him, and Arthur returned the hug almost immediately. He was starting to get used to her hugging him every so often. Slowly but surely. They both pulled away from the hug after a minute.

"All right. Well... let's go take care of that well then," Arthur said as he got up to his feet. Hat Kid nodded and got up as well.

The two children headed back to the clearing with the tall tree where they landed earlier. When they passed near said tree, they noticed that someone was inside, unlike the last time they checked it. Curious, the duo walked up the vine and stopped in front of the entrance. Once they got a good look of the person inside...

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me..." Arthur muttered in annoyance.

It was the Snatcher. He was sitting on the armchair, reading a book. Therefore, the tall tree was revealed to be the Snatcher's home. Of all the people who could have been living here, it had to be him... The soul-stealing shadow looked up from his book and noticed the two children standing at the entrance of his home.

**"What's up, kiddos? Are you lost or something?"** he asked uninterested.

"Nah, we were just on our way," Arthur said through gritted teeth, clearly not wanting to deal with the Snatcher at the moment. He looked at Hat Kid and made a motion with his head to say that they should go. As he turned around to walk away, the Snatcher spoke again.

**"Not so fast, kid. I could hear you yell from miles around earlier. Did I make you mad by saying you couldn't leave my forest until you finished all of your contracts? Whoops!"** the soul-stealing shadow taunted with a smug grin, making Arthur look back at him with an annoyed glare.

"Ha ha," the young boy sarcastically made a fake laugh, rolling his eyes.

**"Oh, come on, kid! Why do you have to be such a mood killer? It's no fun! Though I gotta admit, it _is_ fun making you mad and hearing you yell and stuff. Maybe I should do it more often! HA HA HA HA HA!"** the Snatcher said mockingly with an evil laugh.

"Yeah well, you ain't funny at all... so why you gotta act like the court jester?" Arthur hissed angrily.

**"Careful about what you say to me, kiddo. 'Cause I still got your soul here and if you keep pushing me, you can wave it goodbye for good,"** the Snatcher threatened with a displeased look. Arthur sighed, having no other choice but to stay quiet. **"Anyway, you're supposed to be cleaning the well, kids. It's deep inside the swamp, but it's big enough even tiny things like you can't miss it. Try not to trip and hit your heads at the bottom... _HA HA HA HA HA HA!_"** the shadow added mockingly.

"Whatever you say, _boss_," Arthur said as he rolled his eyes. He looked at Hat Kid and said, "Come on, Hat Kid, let's go."

As they began to walk away, the Snatcher teasingly said, **"Have fun, kids! Oh, and be careful not to fall in the swamp water. It kinda gives off a **_**sinking**_** feeling!"**. This statement caused the two children to stop walking and look at each other nervously. With a gulp, they continued making their way towards the swamp.

After watching the duo leave, the Snatcher shook his head and said, **"Kids..."** before going back to reading his book.

* * *

Entering the swamp, Arthur and Hat Kid began making their way across in order to reach the Subcon Well and clean it. As they walked on the wooden walkway illuminated by hanging lanterns, they looked at the strange purple-colored water below. It was bubbling and there were a few purple arms sticking out of it in some places. They grimaced, remembering the Snatcher telling them that the swamp water gives off a 'sinking feeling'. Maybe it was probably best to stay clear of it; the last thing they wanted was to get dragged to the bottom of the water and drown.

They came across two Fire Spirits dancing around a bonfire on the way. Sure enough, they asked the duo to help them commit suicide by burning some paintings into the fire. The two children accepted and started looking around the swamp for paintings. They found one of the paintings with a Moon Penguin trapped inside and threw it into the fire. Hat Kid found the last painting with a raccoon trapped inside a bit further ahead, although she had to go in the water to reach it and bring it back. The arms inside the water attempted to drag her to the bottom on her way back, but Arthur managed to grab her by the arms and pull her back on the walkway to safety. After that, they tossed the painting into the bonfire, receiving a thank you from the Fire Spirits as the latters disappeared along with the bonfire and another part of the fire barrier around the forest.

After that, Arthur and Hat Kid walked further on the walkway, until they finally saw it: the Subcon Well.

"Well damn, that is one big well," Arthur said, looking at the well in awe. Hat Kid nodded, also impressed by the size of the well.

Indeed, it was huge – probably about 30 feet high. At the foot of the well, there was a wooden platform with a floating bell surrounded by a small green translucent sphere. It looked like the only way to access the well was to climb up to the top by jumping on green holographic leaves that were around a couple of trees. Remembering the Badge Seller's explanation about the green objects, they figured they would have to use their Dweller's abilities to be able to stand on them. Speaking of which, there was large gap in the walkway in between the children and the platform at the foot of the well, and the only way to get across without falling in the water was to jump on a green holographic leafed branch.

"Well, I guess it's time to put your mask and my badge to use," Arthur stated.

Hat Kid decided to go first. She switched her top hat with the Dweller's Mask, and closed her eyes to focus. After that, a green translucent sphere – similar to the one around the bell but bigger – appeared around her, and when she opened her eyes, they were glowing green through the mask. She noticed that the branch turned into a solid green while inside the sphere. Hat Kid jumped forward and landed on the leaves. Before jumping, she spotted a yarn inside of a hole in the tree. She grabbed it and jumped to the other side, just as the effect of the Dweller's Mask ended and the sphere disappeared as her eyes went back to normal.

The young alien switched back to her top hat and waved at Arthur, telling him to get across. Arthur nodded, and closed his eyes to try and focus like Hat Kid did. He then felt some sort of power within him, signaling him that the Dweller effect was now active. He opened his eyes, and sure enough, a sphere surrounded him and his eyes were glowing green. Taking a run up, the twelve-year-old boy jumped on the branch, then onto the other side. After he did, the effect wore off, causing the sphere to disappear and making his eyes go back to normal.

"That did the trick," Arthur said with a smile. He and Hat Kid then looked at the parkour of green translucent leaves they had to make to get to the top of the well. "Seems pretty high. I don't think our Dweller's effects will last long enough for us to make it to the top in time."

The duo's eyes then landed on the floating bell near them. Hat Kid thought for a few seconds as she stared at it, then she pulled out her umbrella and hit the bell with it to make it ring. The sphere around it then grew larger and larger until it passed all of the leaves, materializing them. Unlike the mask and the badge, the bell's sphere seemed to remain. However, the two children noticed that the sphere's size was slowly decreasing.

"Well, I think it might give us enough time to reach the top, but we still have to hurry. When I say 'go', hit the bell and then we rush to the top," Arthur suggested. Hat Kid nodded and readied herself. "Ready? GO!"

The purple-hatted girl hit the bell, bringing the sphere back to its largest size, and then she and Arthur quickly jumped from leaf to leaf until they reached the edge of the opening of the well. In his haste, Arthur landed unbalanced on the edge after making the last jump, and he moved his arms around frantically as he tried to regain his balance. Thankfully, Hat Kid grabbed one of his arms and pulled him back on the surface, before he could fall off.

"Phew, close one... Thanks, Hat Kid," Arthur said gratefully as he breathed heavily. Hat Kid nodded at him. The duo then looked down at the opening of the well. It was dark inside and it looked like a long drop.

"Alright, well... I guess there's only one way in. I don't know, this seems pretty deep..." Arthur said anxiously, remembering his fear of height. Hopefully, he won't start hyperventilating before and after making the jump. "Do you think you can use your umbrella to make us land safely in case... I don't know... that this well is all dried up?" he asked. Hat Kid nodded, clutching her umbrella in her hand.

"Thank god, 'cause I don't want to land flat at the bottom like a pancake on a frying pan," Arthur said, sighing in relief. "Well... let's get this done," he added nervously.

Hat Kid then grabbed the boy's hand and readied her umbrella. And then, the two children made the jump, falling deep into the well.

The duo fell down the well for a few seconds, and suddenly they could see some light as they neared the bottom. Hat Kid opened her umbrella, slowing down her fall, and held Arthur's hand tightly as the two of them were slowly descending to the bottom. They ended up in a mildly small puddle of water upon landing. They swam out of it and walked on a sandy surface. Arthur was a bit shaken by the fall, but he quickly pulled himself together to get back to the task at hand. He and Hat Kid then shivered and wrapped their arms around themselves as they felt the cold air hit their skin.

"Brrr... God damn, it's cold down here," Arthur said, rubbing his arms in an attempt to warm up. It certainly didn't help that they fell into a water puddle and were now soaked from head to feet.

As the two children looked around the place, they were in some sort of cave-like area with two entrances. They could spot ice in the rooms of both entrances, which explained the cold temperature of the place.

"Come on, let's explore this well and do our thing with it before we freeze to death," Arthur suggested, earning an agreeing nod from Hat Kid.

The duo walked through the rib-cage-like entrance, and found themselves in a large room with ice covering the walls and the floor. There were some bats hanging on the ceiling, a few big mushrooms, two cherry bombs, a Dweller, and a chest imprisoned inside a very large ice cube. Suddenly, a metallic sound was heard from behind the two children, causing them both to flinch in surprise.

"The hell was that?" Arthur asked in surprise as he and Hat Kid turned around. To their shock, some iron bars had risen behind them, closing off the exit and locking them both inside the room. "Oh great, now we're locked inside," the twelve-year-old boy said with a frustrated groan.

As the duo took a look around the room for a way out, Arthur spotted a button on a wooden platform conveniently placed on top of two pipes a few feet above the ground.

"I think I see a button up there," he said, pointing up at the platform. He then spotted a few lanterns hanging at the edge of ice bowed spikes, and it gave him an idea. "I guess we could use our Hookshot Badges to swing our way up to it with these lanterns. And while we're here, I guess we could also try to break this ice and take a look in that chest over there," he suggested.

Hat Kid nodded in agreement and went to pick up one of the cherry bombs, before making her way to the Dweller with it. The serpentine spirit flew into the fruit and, as expected, it began beeping and flashing. The purple-hatted girl threw the cherry at the ice cube and it exploded on impact, freeing the chest from its ice prison. Sure enough, the Dweller reappeared and went back to its original spot. The two children then walked up to the chest and opened it. Hat Kid then took the content out of it, which turned out to be a relic. It was another toy cow, but this one was wearing sunglasses on its eyes.

"Okay, now let's try to get out of here. I'm starting to freeze here," the young boy said, rubbing his arms.

Nodding, Hat Kid used her Hookshot ability on the nearest lantern and began swinging from lantern to lantern, grabbing a yarn in the process. She did that until she reached the platform with the button on it. She stepped on said button and the iron bars blocking the exit lowered. The young alien put her hands on her hips and nodded with a proud grin, before swinging her way back down to Arthur's side.

The duo exited the room and walked through the other entrance. They were now in a room that was also completely coated in ice, and looking up, there were several pipes sticking out of the walls with wooden platforms on them. In the middle of the room was a pipe with a giant cork in it that was attached to a rope which hung down beside the pipe with a hook at the end.

"Well, I think that's the whole well here. I don't really see what we can do here, everything seems clean enough..." Arthur remarked as he looked around the icy place. He then looked at the cork on the pipe and said, "Well, there's just this pipe here we could uncork, but that's about it," with a shrug. He looked at Hat Kid for approval and the latter shrugged as to say 'go for it'. With a nod, he walked forward until he was below the hook and latched onto it with his Hookshot ability, pulling it down.

Following the boy's action, the cork popped right off the pipe and fell onto the ground. After that, the pipe spouted out a large gust of air, and suddenly, rumbling was heard throughout the whole well.

"What the hell was that?!" Arthur asked startled. Then, to his and Hat Kid's shock, water came out of a few pipes and began filling the room, submerging the children's feet. "Okay, maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all," the twelve-year-old boy said nervously as water began submerging half of his legs. He looked up at the pipes above him, then at the pipe that was shooting air in the middle of the room. It looks like the only way out of this well was to go up. "Let's get out of here before we drown like rats," he said, pointing up. Hat Kid quickly nodded in agreement. She didn't know how to swim, so it would be best if they could leave the well before it completely fills itself in water.

Without wasting any more time, the duo jumped onto the pipe and the strong gust of air shot them up onto some pipes above. They then climbed up a ladder to reach the upper pipes. As they were about to proceed, a giant spider with a creepy yellow-glowing face on its back and sawblade-like legs suddenly came down in front of them, hanging at the end of its thread and staring at the children menacingly.

"HOLY PECKING HELL!" Arthur yelped in surprise, before pulling out his crowbar and whacking the spider with it. The giant arthropod was knocked off its thread and fell down in the water below. "Giant spiders?! What the heck?!" the young boy yelled with a shocked look. He shook his head and said, "Doesn't matter, we gotta move!".

The two children continued making their way up on the pipes, activating buttons, swinging on lanterns, getting shot up by air gusts from some pipes, and knocking off any other spiders they came across. The water was filling the well very quickly, so the duo did their best to reach the top as fast as possible.

They eventually reached the end of the parkour; however, to their shock, the exit was blocked off by an ice wall. Peck, they were trapped! Thinking quickly, Hat Kid spotted three cherry bombs on the side and a Dweller near the wall. She quickly picked up a cherry and ran to the Dweller who immediately flew inside of it and activated it. She then threw the fruit at the wall, blowing it up and opening up the passage. Suddenly, the whole well rumbled and in a matter of seconds, a wave of water rushed over the two children and flowed right through the exit. Arthur and Hat Kid both screamed as the water carried them out of the well.

* * *

Rumbling was felt at Subcon Village, where the rock avalanche laid out at the beginning of the river, startling the minions and the Dwellers surrounding the area. Water then bursted through the rocks, knocking them away and refilling the river. Arthur and Hat Kid, in that burst, flew right out and both let out a scream as they fell into the refilled river, alongside the Dweller that helped them blow up the ice wall. The two children both surfaced and gasped for air, eventually coughing some water out of their lungs.

"I'll just say it now: that's the last time I'm going inside a well to clean it!" Arthur said, feeling shaken and irritated at the same time.

Something then came out at the surface of the water in between the duo. It was a Time Piece. Hat Kid smiled and grabbed it. It must have probably been stuck in one of the pipes inside the well, before water freed it.

"Look! The water is back!" a voice suddenly said. Arthur and Hat Kid looked to the side and saw a few minions, along with some Dwellers, gathering at the edge of the river. More of them arrived on the scene, looking at the water with marvel. Hat Kid quickly put her Time Piece in her pocket before anyone could see it.

"Hey look! They're the newbies who arrived in the forest recently!" one of the minions said, pointing at the two children in the water.

"Uhh, heya," Arthur said timidly as he and Hat Kid both waved at the minions nervously.

"Whoa, you both did it! You cleaned up the well!" a minion said enthusiastically.

"We haven't seen water in this river for ages!" another one said happily.

"You're both amazing!" another one praised the duo.

"Thank you so much, newbies!" another one thanked them gratefully.

Arthur and Hat Kid were both surprised by the minions' praises. It seems like they did them all a favor by cleaning up the well and bringing back the water in the river. Neither of the two children expected the minions to feel grateful for their actions, since the latters worked for the Snatcher and therefore they expected them to be evil and all.

"Uh yeah, don't mention it..." Arthur said, feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the praises. He still wasn't used to people praising him for his actions.

**"Well done, kiddos,"** a familiar and unpleasant voice was heard from behind the duo. Arthur and Hat Kid both turned around and frowned. The Snatcher was waiting at the river's edge, opposite of the one the minions were on, with a towel in his arm. The two children swam up to the edge and walked out of the water.

"Alright, we did it," Arthur said, giving the shadow an annoyed look.

**"I can see that,"** the Snatcher simply said with a satisfied grin. He then looked at his minions and the Dwellers who were watching and said, **"Can you leave me alone with my two contractors? I need to speak with them in _private_."** They all obeyed and walked back to the village, leaving the children alone with the soul-stealing shadow.

**"Well, that's one way of cleaning the well, kids. Looks like you both took a _cold shower_ though! He he he he he!"** the Snatcher said with a snicker. Arthur and Hat Kid gave him unamused looks in response. **"Don't worry though, I brought you a towel so you can dry off. I need you both for my contracts, no way I'm dealing with two kids with a cold,"** the soul-stealing shadow said. He then threw the towel at Arthur's face, causing it to comically wrap itself around the boy's head and earning an irritated groan from him. Hat Kid couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the sight. Arthur removed the towel from his face and glared at the Snatcher.

**"Well, that ties up your first contract then," **the Snatcher said, before snapping his fingers. A small *poof* was heard from inside Hat Kid's hat. The small girl removed it and checked the content, only to find that their contract on cleaning the well was now gone and only the one they signed recently was left in it. She placed her hat back on her head with a smile, knowing they got their first contract out of the way.

**"Next up: Retrieve the thing that ended up in the attic of the... manor..."** the Snatcher said, trailing off at the end of his sentence and forming a blank expression. He then quickly regained his composure and gleefully said, **"I hope you two got strong nerves, 'cause you're gonna need them for this one! And if you don't make it out of the manor alive... well... it was nice knowing you, kids! _AHHHAHAHAHAHAHA!_"** And with that, he vanished into the ground. The two children were left visibly disturbed and worried about the last statement.

"... I'm really starting to think you should've picked the mail delivery contract instead, Hat Kid," Arthur said anxiously. Hat Kid rubbed the back of her head shamefully and nervously. "Whatever. We gotta get this done anyway. I have no idea what's inside that manor... but I really hope it's just the Snatcher and his minions messing with us, because I'm not a big fan of horror experiences, kid," he explained nervously as he used the towel to dry himself off.

* * *

And unfortunately, Arthur's hopes will soon be crushed, because inside the manor in the middle of a snowy area... a dark, horrific, and menacing figure was lurking inside a dark room at this very moment. The figure turned around, revealing eyes glowing red. Soon, this very same figure will become the scariest threat that both children will ever face...

* * *

**A/N: Hey everyone! Here we are with another chapter and this clears out Act 2 of Subcon Forest as well as the first contract for the duo! So since Arthur and Hat Kid both got their Hookshot Badges from the Badge Seller in Chapter 21, I decided to replace the chest's content inside the well – where you normally get the Hookshot Badge in game – with a relic. I hope it's good replacement enough. ^^;**

**Anyway, next up... heh... you all know what's coming, right? Yup... a small bit of horror experience inside Queen Vanessa's manor is awaiting the duo. Let's see how they handle it. You can already tell that Arthur is not going to like that.**

**Alright! Time to answer a few reviews! Oh, speaking of which, I noticed that the story went over 150 reviews! That's a lot! Thank you so much for your wonderful comments, guys! I'm glad you still enjoy my story to this day, and I hope to continue that way until the end!**

_**To HexoSpikeZ:**_** Yeah, has this annoying habit of removing half of any links you post, probably for safety matters. It did the same for me when I tried to share my drawings of Arthur with you all. Though, I don't know if it has something to do with the fact that I had the Filter Profanity on; I just removed it by the way. Anyway, if you wanna show me your fanart, my Discord username is Fighter33000#3013. You can DM it here if you want.**

_**To Katoptris12:**_** That could be a theory. Arthur seemed ready to give up at the beginning of the chapter, until Hat Kid encouraged him to keep going. Let's see how it goes as time passes through the chapters.**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Yeah, hopefully. Anyway, thank you!**

_**To Snowballs FF:**_** Thank you! I had this theory in my head in which when your soul is taken, any sorts of emotion or empathy you feel is little to none. Will it gets worse though? I guess we'll see. And don't worry, Queen Vanessa's Act is coming in the next chapter... Hope you're ready for the chills. ;)**

_**To Rub37:**_** Indeed, he's the most ****_hospitable_ host you'll ever see. He lets you stay in his forest in exchange for your soul and some hard work. ;D**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** Probably because they now feel empty and lack of empathy. RIP. TwT**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** Indeed, the next chapter will be... quite something. Anyway, thank you! As for the Snatcher's fight, well... only time will tell. ;)**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Thank you! Indeed, like I said before, this is my theory on how it feels to have no soul. Sometimes, it may bring out the worst in someone, and unfortunately, this poor Mafia man paid the price of Hat Kid's lack of soul in one of the most... painful ways that exist. ^^;**

**Anyway, that's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	31. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Before heading for the manor, Arthur and Hat Kid took a moment to dry themselves off and rest inside Subcon Village. They also ate two sandwiches each to regain their strength. When they were ready, they exited the village and returned to the bridge at the intersection where they helped the minions get rid of the bone cage.

"Alright... there's the bridge leading to the manor," Arthur said, looking at the warning signs in front of the bridge that clearly advised to stay away for seemingly good reasons. "I can't really say I'm looking forward to this... but it's gotta get done," he added anxiously. Hat Kid nodded, also feeling anxious about having to go to the manor. Nonetheless, they had to go there and retrieve whatever was in the attic of that manor.

Relucantly, the two children crossed the bridge, and they could already feel the cold air of the snowy area that stood before them. Suddenly, spiked vines rose around them, causing the duo to jump in surprise; and in a matter of seconds, dark clouds surrounded the area. The Snatcher emerged from the ground with his usual ominous grin.

**"_AHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_ FOOOOOOOOOOooo... oh wait, it's you two?"** he said, trailing off after seeing it was Arthur and Hat Kid. The two children sighed in annoyance. **"I was kind of expecting a new victim to step in my traps. I've already taken your souls and everything. Are you even working on your contractual obligations right now?"** he asked with an annoyed and impatient expression.

"Well, what do you think?" Arthur asked irritated.

**"I'd say you've gotten a tad lazier, kiddo,"** the Snatcher retorted with a smug grin.

"Whatever you say," the young boy muttered as he rolled his eyes.

The Snatcher sighed in annoyance and said, **"Listen. Don't take it personal, kids, but stay clear of my traps. There's only so many times my voice can handle yelling like that. You're taking the experience away from other people."**

"Then next time, put a sign in front of your traps. Maybe we'll see 'em then," Arthur retorted with an unamused look, crossing his arms.

**"Or you could put glasses on too, kid,"** the Snatcher said annoyed, crossing his arms as well.

"Sure, whatever," Arthur muttered, waving his hand dismissively. The soul-stealing shadow shook his head in exasperation and continued speaking.

**"Anyway, what was I saying again? Oh yes! Stay away from my traps, yadda yadda yadda... You both get the idea,"** he said. An idea then popped in his head and he grinned maliciously. **"Uh, but since you did step in my trap, I might as well extend our business endeavors!"** He cleared his throat and shouted, **"_FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLS!_"**. He then waved his hands in a ghost-like manner as he said in a ghost-like voice,** "You've stepped into my forest, and now you both must pay the _price_~!"** Hat Kid laughed in amusement at the impression, making the Snatcher grin widely in satisfaction. Arthur simply rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance. The Snatcher then snapped his fingers and a contract appeared in front of the children.

**"Here's the contract you didn't sign before. You know the drill! Put your names on it and stuff!"** the soul-stealing shadow said, grinning enthusiastically. Arthur and Hat Kid sighed in annoyance. Yet another contract added to the pile... Oh well, it's not like they had much of a choice. The duo approached the contract, and like the Snatcher said, it was the one where they have to deliver packages to 10 minions in Subcon Forest. They signed their names on the paper, and the Snatcher stamped it before making it vanish.

**"Good! This one should be a breeze! You're taking all the contracts away from the newbies, though, which is really rude when you think about it,"** the Snatcher said with a fake offended look. **"Whatever! I'm off! Smell you later, kids!"** he said gleefully, before mischievously adding, **"Well, if you're both still _alive_ by then, that is,"** sending a chill down the duo's spines. After that, he vanished into the ground, leaving the children to their task.

"This pecking guy..." Arthur muttered angrily. He sighed and said to Hat Kid, "Come on, let's move."

With that said, the two children made their way into the snowy area as snow gently fell around them. Because of the cold temperature, they wrapped their arms around themselves as they walked through the snow. They were walking through an abandoned village. The houses were old and had a few cracks on the walls. However, the most visible detail was the numerous large thick icicles going through the doors, windows, chimneys, and even the roofs. Arthur and Hat Kid couldn't help but wonder who used to live here and what happened to this village for it to reach this kind of state. Nonetheless, they tried to stay focused on the task at hand, which was to find the manor.

"I could really use a jacket right now," Arthur said, shivering from the cold a little, as he rubbed his arms in an attempt to warm himself up. Hat Kid nodded in agreement, also shivering and rubbing her arms.

They eventually arrived in front of some sort of large entrance surrounded by very large thick icicles and frozen trees, and some warning signs were also placed in front of it. The entrance was blocked off by purple galaxy-patterned trees. The children also spotted a floating bell, similar to the one they saw in front of Subcon Well.

"I recall the Badge Seller saying something about purple objects acting the opposite of the green ones. Let's try that up," Arthur suggested. Hat Kid nodded and pulled her umbrella out, before hitting the bell with it. The sphere around the bell grew larger until it passed the purple trees, dematerializing them and making them translucent. The duo were able to walk through the temporary-translucent trees.

They then found themselves inside an icy cave with another bell, two green platforms, a purple one, and an ice wall standing in their way. Using the bell and their Dweller's abilities, they managed to use the platforms to make it to the top of the wall. After that, they had to pick up a cherry bomb and carry it to a Dweller on top of an ice block by jumping from block to block to blow up another ice wall blocking their way. And finally, they solved a puzzle including green platforms and a cherry bomb they used to blow up the last wall and progress.

And after going through a broken gate, they arrived in an open area with a frozen lake. On the other side of said lake, they finally spotted what they were looking for...

"Here it is... The Manor," Arthur said, staring at the shadowed, ominous, and snow-covered manor atop of the small hill. All lights were shining from all 3-4 floors. There were ice spikes on the roof and on the sides of the manor, a stairwell leading to the entrance at the front, as well as two headless statues with angel wings and a vase in their hands at the bottom of the stairwell.

"I'm already getting a bad vibe from this place. If even the Snatcher and his minions don't want to go there, there must be a good reason for it... Hopefully, if we're quiet and quick enough, we won't meet whoever or... _whatever_ lives here," Arthur said anxiously. Hat Kid nodded, also feeling nervous and uncomfortable. The sight of the manor itself already gives off an eerie atmosphere. Neither of the two children were looking forward to going inside... but they had to go there to complete their contractual obligations. And who knows, maybe there is a Time Piece in the attic. The twelve-year-old boy sighed and relucantly said, "Well... let's do this, I guess...".

The duo walked up the stairs until they reached the entrance of the manor. Arthur turned the handle of the double door, but it remained shut tight.

"Locked. Let's try the back. Maybe there's another entrance or something," the young boy suggested.

The two children walked down the stairs and began making their way around the manor to find another entrance. However, they didn't notice that one of the headless statues suddenly came to life and began running after them. Arthur and Hat Kid stopped walking when they heard footsteps coming fast behind them.

"Do you hear that?" Arthur asked Hat Kid with a confused expression, receiving a nod from the girl as a response. They both turned around and their jaws dropped in shock and horror as they saw the statue coming for them. "Holy peck! **RUN!**" the twelve-year-old boy shouted in panic.

Arthur and Hat Kid quickly took off running with the statue chasing them. They eventually made it to the back of the manor and spotted a cellar door nearby. Thank goodness, a way in! When they approached it, the cellar door suddenly opened on its own, causing the children to jump back in surprise.

"What the hell...?" Arthur asked confused. He then looked behind him to see the statue getting closer to them and his eyes widened. "Come on, **move!**" he shouted as he urged Hat Kid inside.

When the two of them got in, Arthur quickly closed the cellar door before the statue could get them and locked it by pushing the plank down on the lock. The young boy backed away as the statue banged on the door from outside to try and get in.

The two children could only wait anxiously as they heard the constant banging on the door from the statue that desperately tried to get in, without success. After a few seconds, the bangings stopped and the duo could hear footsteps going away, meaning that the statue had enough and left. Arthur and Hat Kid both sighed in relief.

"Phew... that was close," Arthur said, earning a nod from Hat Kid.

The two of them walked down the stairs and found themselves in a large flooded cellar dimly lit by candles, with barrels and bottles of wines stacked around. Water was submerging half of their bodies and some thick icicles were on some parts of the walls as well. There were also metal chains on the wall, mostly used to lock your wrists and keep you hung against it.

"So much for staying dry," Arthur grumbled in annoyance, looking down at the lower half of his body that was submerged in the water. He sighed and said, "Well, we're in. Hopefully, nobody heard us come in. Let's try to get to the attic, but let's be careful... we don't wanna run into the owner." Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

They began walking forward in the cellar, but they froze when a voice spoke from behind.

"Hey, newbies!" the voice said. Arthur and Hat Kid jumped around in surprise, but they relaxed when they saw it was just one of the Snatcher's minions.

"Wow, geez! Listen, we would appreciate it if you don't sneak on us like that!" Arthur said annoyed through gritted teeth. The minion rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Heh, sorry about that. Anyway, boss told me to remind you both, uhhh... you signed that paper about not using your hats while in the manor," he said nervously.

"Wait, what?" Arthur asked as he and Hat Kid gave the minion surprised and confused looks.

"Yeah. Don't use them. Thanks," the minion said, before running out of the cellar.

"Hey, wait!" Arthur tried to stop him, but the minion was already gone. He then looked at Hat Kid and extended his hand out, before firmly saying, "Give me that contract."

The purple-hatted girl did as she was told and removed her hat, before taking the contract about the manor out and giving it to Arthur. The young boy unrolled it and read it. He found a print in a very small font underneath the terms section that said 'Usage of hats is **not** allowed inside the manor.' He formed an angry look and gritted his teeth.

"That's a joke, right? We can't even use our abilities inside the manor?!" he said furiously as he shoved the contract back in Hat Kid's arms in frustration, causing her to let out a small "Oof!". The young alien checked the contract as well and her eyes widened as she also found the unexpected rule on it. She doesn't remember seeing it before. Did the Snatcher add the print after they signed their names on it? Well, that's certainly not a very nice to do! The Snatcher is so mean!

"I'm getting tired of that ghost pulling tricks on us. Let's get this contract over with so we can get the hell outta here," Arthur muttered bitterly. Hat Kid nodded as she placed the contract back in her hat and put it back on her head.

The duo walked up to a double door at the end of the cellar, but it was locked. They decided to look around for the key and entered a small room in the cellar. They found a yarn between two barrels, as well as the key on top of a shelf, and grabbed the both of them. They returned to the double door and unlocked it with the key, before proceeding up the stairs.

The two children arrived in a dimly lit hallway with three doors and a window at the end of it. A long purple carpet, blue wallpaper, and wooden furniture were all nicely placed. There was also a cracked mirror on top of a dresser, and an ice statue of a strange creature next to the door. The statue looked... oddly realistic though, which made the duo feel uneasy. The place was quiet. Too quiet... and the atmosphere was eerie too.

"I don't like this... Let's try to keep quiet around here," Arthur whispered anxiously. Hat Kid nodded, also feeling anxious.

The two children walked as slowly and as quietly as they could along the hallway. However, the wooden floor suddenly creaked under one of Hat Kid's footsteps.

**_"WHO'S THERE? WHO DARES ENTER MY HOME?"_** an echoing female voice shouted from a nearby room as a lightning flashed outside the window. Arthur and Hat Kid both yelped and fell onto their backs in surprise, crawling backward in fear.

The hallway seemed to envelop itself in darkness. Footsteps could be heard coming from the farthest door down and the doorknob slowly turned. The door then opened, and a figure came inside the hallway as the room became more dark. To the children's horror, it was an inhumanly tall, hunched-over shadowy figure of a woman with thin arms, clawed hands, long messy hair, a crown, and a ragged and torn dress. Her form was constantly shifting smoke and her eyes were glowing red.

Arthur and Hat Kid formed terrified looks and their jaws dropped at the sight of the monstrous woman. Not wanting to get spotted, they quickly got up and darted off to the nearest door, going through it and silently closing it right before the figure looked in their direction.

"Wha... what in the hell kind of monstrosity was _that_?" Arthur whispered in an extremely scared and panicked tone, keeping his body pinned against the door to block it in case the woman went after them. After a few quiet seconds, he slightly pushed the door open to take a peek, and he spotted the shadowy woman walking down the hallway with her back turned on him. He then quietly closed the door and whispered to Hat Kid, "I don't think she saw us yet... and I certainly don't wanna wait around for her to find us. Let's get outta here." The purple-hatted girl nodded quickly with a terrified expression on her face.

The two children looked around the room for a way out. There were a few bookshelves, an ice statue of a Dweller next to a dresser with a small cracked mirror above it, a cracked frame of a prince and a princess together, and a piano in the middle of the room. The duo then spotted a green book on top of a bookshelf with some sort of key inside it. Perhaps it could be used to unlock one of the rooms inside the manor. If they can reach it, they could hold onto it to unlock said room. Hat Kid tried to jump up and grab the book, but it was way too high for her to reach. Arthur cupped his hands together and offered her a boost instead. The small girl placed her foot in his hands and he lifted her up as high as he could. But even with the boy's help, she was still unable to get her hands on the book.

"That's not gonna do. Let's find something else," the young boy whispered as he quietly lowered Hat Kid back on the floor. His eyes then landed on the piano and it gave him an idea. "If we can raise the top cover of this thing, we could gain some extra height and maybe be able to reach the book," he suggested. As he examined the piano, he noticed a keyhole on the side of it. "Looks like we need a key to raise the top cover. Let's try to look around for it... _quietly_," he whispered, seriously emphasizing on the last word.

The began searching around the room for a key as quickly and as quietly as they could. The last thing they wanted was to make a ruckus and get caught by this monster. Who knows what she will do to them if she catches them here and now? They surely didn't want to find out. The duo didn't find the key here, so they decided to go look in the other room instead and found themselves in a kitchen. Hat Kid looked in the fridge and found a key with the handle shaped into a treble clef music note, probably the one to be used on the piano. She took it, then she and Arthur went back to the piano and used the key on it. The top cover opened up after that. Hat Kid smiled and climbed up on the bench to get on top of the piano.

"Careful, this doesn't look very-" Arthur's sentence was interrupted when Hat Kid stepped on the cover of the piano and it suddenly slammed down under her weight, creating a loud noise and making both children flinch. "... sturdy," he finished his sentence with a grimace.

"Uh oh..." Hat Kid said with a fearful look.

**_"Ready or not, here I come~,"_** the woman's voice echoed in the hallway. Then, the door to the kitchen in the other room was heard opening. She was coming... Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other with scared looks.

"Hide!" Arthur whispered in panic. Then, he and Hat Kid quickly looked around for a hiding spot. Although, the only one available was under the piano. With no other choice, they crawled under it and remained still as darkness slightly filled the room.

The woman entered the room and looked around. Arthur and Hat Kid both trembled as they anxiously waited, silently hoping that the shadowy lady wouldn't find them.

_'Please don't check under the piano, please don't check under the piano...'_ Arthur repeated in his head as he felt his anxiety kicking in. He prayed to the lord that he wouldn't start hyperventilating here and now, because the heavy breathing would likely give their position away.

After a few stressful seconds, the woman huffed and exited the room through the kitchen door, returning in the hallway. The darkness dissipated from the room, returning to its original luminosity. Arthur and Hat Kid sighed in relief, before carefully crawling out from under the piano and getting up to their feet. They took a moment to breathe and recover from the stressful moment.

"That was close..." Arthur said as he let out a huge breath. Hat Kid nodded, breathing heavily as well.

The two children looked up at the book with the key inside and noticed it was now on the verge of falling from the shelf. The tension from the slam of the piano must have caused it to slip somehow. It gave Hat Kid an idea: if she creates a similar noise with the piano, then perhaps it will cause the book to fall from the shelf, and then all they will have to do is grab the key and run out of the room before the old scary lady comes here. It was risky, but it was the only option they had at the moment.

With her plan in mind, Hat Kid climbed back on the bench, then onto the top of the piano.

"Hey, w-what are you doing?" Arthur asked in an anxious whisper. Hat Kid ignored him, and she began jumping repeatedly on the piano, trying to make it break and create a loud noise similar to the one before. The piano's legs made a creaking sound, causing Arthur's eyes to widen in horror. What the hell is she doing?! She's going to get them caught!

"No! Don't-" the young boy tried to stop her, but too late. The piano's legs broke under the small girl's constant jumping, creating a noise louder than the one from before. Thankfully, it was enough to make the book fall from the shelf, causing it to open on impact and revealing the key. An echoing and ominous giggling was heard in the hallway, and the kitchen door opened once again with darkness filling the room, meaning that the shadowy lady was coming again.

Without wasting any more time, the duo grabbed the key and quickly exited the room just as the woman went into the kitchen. They dashed down the hallway and entered the door where the woman originally emerged from.

"Dammit, Hat Kid! I nearly had a heart attack back there! Next time you have a plan, tell me about it before pulling something like that!" Arthur hissed angrily.

"Sorry," Hat Kid apologized as she rubbed the back of her head. Arthur shook his head and sighed.

"Come on, let's move before she comes back," he said.

They walked through the room, which was some sort of rec room with a pool table, a dartboard, a bar with stools, and a red couch. There were also two ice statues in the room: one of an elderly man sitting on one of the stools at the bar, and another one of a Mafia man standing next to the pool table. Both statues were cowering in fear in their positions.

Arthur and Hat Kid were clearly disturbed by how realistic these ice statues looked like and how many of them there were around the manor. The duo shook their heads at the thought and reached a double door that appeared to be locked. Using the key they grabbed from the book before, they unlocked the door and went through it, walking up the stairs to the second floor.

They arrived in another hallway, and the duo's eyes widened in horror as they looked at the walls. The wallpaper was green and torn, with scratch marks all along the walls. It was extremely eerie and unnerving, which made the two children shudder.

They walked to the corner of the hallway, passing near another ice statue as they did, and reached another double door. They attempted to open it, but it was locked too.

"Oh great, locked too... Well, let's try to find the key quick. Hopefully, the piano mess will keep that monster busy down there for a while," Arthur said.

Without wasting any more time, the duo started searching for the key. They went around the corner of the hallway and they found a note on a small table. They decided to read it, thinking it might give clues on where to find the key or even the origins of this... _monster_.

The note said _'I'm sorry about your hair, my prince. I just wanted our lengths to match! ...and color... and curl... you look wonderful!'_. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other with a disturbed grimace. The way this note was written and the topic of it were definitely... creepy. Sounded like some kind of obsession from the writer here... They shook their heads and decided to keep looking for the key.

They got to the end of the hallway and found a chest next to another ice statue of a Mafia man. They opened it... no key, but they found a yarn inside, which Hat Kid took.

After that, Arthur and Hat Kid went through the nearest door. They were now inside what looked like a child's room. There was a baby crib, some toys, an armchair, a train set similar to the relic they found back in Dead Bird Studio, a giant teddy bear, a yellow and purple gift box with three red balloons attached to it, two other ice statues, a cracked mirror and a painting of two headless persons on the wall. The wallpaper was blue and also had scratch marks all over it. There was also an horse toy that was... rocking back and forth on its own. Creepy... Nonetheless, they searched around for the key, but they didn't find it here either.

They went into the next room and found themselves in another bedroom. There was a queen-sized bed with royal red sheets and a canopy with golden threads, a large closet with two doors – one was open, the other closed – a vanity with a red felt stool, a wooden nightstand with a candelabra, a large wooden desk with a bench, a wooden dresser, and of course an ice statue. Needless to say, the red wallpaper had also scratch marks all over it. The two children figured it was the shadowy woman's bedroom.

"That key better be in there..." Arthur muttered under his breath. He really wanted to reach the attic and get the item they were supposed to retrieve as fast as possible so they could get the **peck** out of this cursed manor.

The two children immediately started searching around the bedroom for the key. During their research, they found a diary and a couple of notes on some of the furnitures. They took a moment to read them in order to see if they held any sorts of clues on the key's whereabouts and possibly the story behind the shadowy woman.

They started with the diary. A lot of the pages have been torn out, but three pages still remained intact. They read Page 13.

_'Why? What have I done wrong? In his letters he talks about her. A 'tutor'. He says he loves me. But SHE sees him. I get letters, and SHE gets his time. He is MINE. Once his studies are finished I will have him back.'_

Well, looks like that lady was love-obsessed. That might explain a few things, including the note in the hallway. The duo turned the pages and read Page 48.

_'Dear diary,_

_Today my prince left to begin his studies. He will be so far away, and for so long. He has promised to write. He won't forget me, will he? His beloved princess?'_

So... she used to be a princess? Makes sense, considering the crown they saw on her head. And apparently, she was in love with a prince too. They wondered what happened to him... Definitely nothing good from the looks of it. They turned the pages and read the last one that was still readable, which was Page 73.

_'He is coming back. Just one weekend. A short holiday, from HER. I will convince him to stay. I CANNOT let my love leave again.'_

Well, sounds a little melodramatic. The two children felt kinda bad for the prince who was unfortunate enough to be her lover. They closed the diary, and then read the other notes in the room – not before finding a relic that was inside a chest, which was another toy cow with a tin foil on its head.

The notes talked about different topics, yet extremely similar to the things written in the diary. And they perfectly summed up everything the two children learned about the woman so far, with more details. The first note said that the princess' mother had a bit of an accident and therefore the princess got crowned as a queen, but she complained that her prince couldn't call her 'his princess' anymore. The second was actually a letter sent by the prince himself, saying that his time at the Academy was hard but he was progressing quickly nonetheless. He also stated that he had been getting help in study from one of the tutors. However, the rest of the letter was ruined and torn when the tutor's name was about to be revealed – which started with 'Lady'. The third was about the princess complaining that her prince was enjoying his breakfast 'far too much', and she decided to forbid beacon in the house as a result. And the last one was about the princess wishing she could just chain the prince inside the cellar just to keep him forever.

Arthur and Hat Kid formed disturbed expressions after reading all of these notes. That princess was clearly insane and obsessed with a prince she loved. And judging by the last note, the prince probably paid the price of her insanity. They felt a bit sorry for him, even though they lacked proper empathy due to them having no souls. Aside from her obvious love-obsessed tendencies, the notes also revealed important informations about the princess: her name was Vanessa and she got crowned as a queen at some point. Therefore, they figured that her full name was Queen Vanessa. A crazy and love-obsessed woman, and no doubt a yandere too – which might explain her hostility towards the two children, aside from them sneaking into her home. Though, it was still unclear how she ended up in her current... scary, shadowy and demonic appearance.

_**"Are we playing a game~? You hide... and I'll seek,"**_ Queen Vanessa's voice was heard coming from the hallway, causing the duo to flinch.

"Looks like the piano distraction is over... Let's hurry up and find the key before she comes," Arthur suggested in a nervous whisper. Hat Kid nodded anxiously.

The two children continued looking around the room, but no trace of the key either. It wasn't until they looked up that they spotted the key on top of the bed's canopy, slightly sticking out. They groaned in frustration. Seriously, why do keys always have to be out of reach in this damn manor? Arthur tried to boost Hat Kid up again, but unfortunately, it was too high to reach.

"Again?! Geez..." the twelve-year-old boy whispered in a frustrated tone, placing Hat Kid back on the ground. He sighed and said, "Well, let's find something to bring it down, I guess."

While looking around for something to help them bring the key down, they returned in the child's room and Hat Kid's eyes landed on the balloons attached to the gift box. That gave her an idea. This time, she made sure to tell Arthur about her plan by pointing at the balloons, then at the key in the other room. He shrugged, figuring it was the only option they had at the moment. Hat Kid untied one of the balloons and brought it back to Queen Vanessa's bedroom, stopping under the spot where the key was sticking out. She let the balloon go and it flew up, touching the key in the process. It managed to move it slightly, but not enough for it to fall. Bummer...

Suddenly, an hissing sound was heard, causing the duo to look towards the source of the noise. Their eyes widened in horror as they saw the balloon float right on the lit candles on the candelabra. Peck! If it pops, it's gonna make a ruckus! Arthur moved forward to grab the balloon before- **POP!** Too late.

"... Peck," Arthur swore with a grimace.

_**"Are you in there, little ones~? I'm coming~."**_

Arthur and Hat Kid both gasped after hearing Queen Vanessa's voice. They could hear footsteps approaching the bedroom's door. Here she comes... They had to find a hiding spot quickly. The two children then looked at the open closet and quickly went in it without a second thought, before closing it.

From inside the closet, they heard the door to the bedroom open and they could feel the presence of the same darkness that engulfed the place whenever Queen Vanessa was around. As they anxiously waited for the shadowy queen to go away, Arthur's anxiety suddenly kicked in and he began hyperventilating. Oh no no no no, not here! Not now! The young boy tried to cover his mouth to quiet down his breathing, but to no avail.

Hat Kid was beginning to panic as she watched Arthur trying to calm himself down without success. If this keeps going, Queen Vanessa will hear him and they will both get caught. She had to do something to help Arthur calm down, and that's when an idea came through her mind. She gently wrapped her arms around the boy, pulling him into a comforting hug. Arthur flinched in surprise, but he eventually relaxed in the hug. His breathing slowly decreased, and eventually it quieted down. The twelve-year-old boy returned the hug by wrapping one of his arms around Hat Kid and holding onto her arm with his other hand, while the girl continued hugging him.

The two of them remained like that for a while, hoping that the shadowy queen didn't hear them. Eventually, they could hear the bedroom's door open and close again, and the darkness disappeared, meaning that Queen Vanessa left the room. The two children both sighed in relief, then Hat Kid released Arthur from the hug, before the two of them walked out of the closet.

"I, uh... thanks..." Arthur quietly thanked Hat Kid uncomfortably, yet genuinely as he rubbed the back of his head. The young alien simply smiled at him in response.

"Is... is scary old lady gone?" a voice suddenly said in a whisper, startling the two children. They frantically turned to the source of the voice, but they relaxed when they saw it was just a Mafia man nervously peeking out from behind the second door of the closet.

"Oh hey. You've been hiding in there too?" Arthur asked in a whisper. The goon nodded nervously.

"Y-yes. Mafia been lost in forest for days with other fellow Mafias, and we found big manor. Then, Mafia encountered scary old lady and saw her turn fellow Mafias into ice statues. Mafia got scared, so Mafia hid in closet," the Mafia man explained in a quiet and terrified tone. Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes widened after hearing that.

"Wait... she turned your friends into ice statues?" Arthur asked quietly, clearly horrified. The Mafia man nodded with a terrified look.

"Yes. Mafia saw her grab fellow Mafias, then they slowly changed into ice statues," the goon explained, shuddering at the thought of his Mafia comrades turning into ice statues. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other in shock.

So that explains the presence of ice statues all around the manor: they were victims who got caught by Queen Vanessa and were turned into ice by some sort of magic she creates. That would probably be the sort of fate that awaits the both of them if they get caught by the shadowy queen. The duo shuddered at the thought.

"All the more reason to get outta here as soon as possible," Arthur said to Hat Kid, earning a nod from the latter. He looked at the Mafia man and said, "Listen, we're trying to reach the key on top of this bed to unlock a door, but we're not tall enough. Can you give us a boost or something?", pointing up at the key. The Mafia man stared up at it, then at the closet he was hiding in, before shaking his head no.

"M-Mafia too scared to come out... Mafia would rather wait in closet, while you try to get key," the goon said cowardly, trembling in fear. Arthur glared at him. Really? He would rather wait and let them do all the work by themselves instead of helping them? Coward.

"Fine then, we'll do it ourselves... Make your bed here and lie on it if you like," the young boy grumbled angrily. He turned to Hat Kid and said, "Come on, let's go fetch another balloon," before he started walking back to the child's room. Hat Kid gave a disappointed glare to the Mafia man, before following Arthur in the other room. After she left, the goon closed the closet to hide back in it.

After the two children returned in the child's room to grab another balloon, they noticed something different about the painting of the headless persons on the wall. Now, they had a head each, although they both lacked a face. However, what was even more strange was that the hair styles were similar to Arthur and Hat Kid's. It was very unsettling, but they chose to ignore it and focus on the task at hand.

They untied another balloon from the gift box and returned to other room, before letting go of said balloon under the key again. It moved a little more and was now on the verge of falling off. Although, it still wasn't enough.

"That's a joke, right?" Arthur whispered in frustration. He then noticed the balloon floating towards the candles again. "Oh no, you don't!" he said, pulling the balloon back to stop it from popping off. However, he said it a bit too loudly. Realizing his mistake, he gasped and covered his mouth, letting go of the balloon in the process, while Hat Kid formed an anxious look.

_**"I'm coming~, I'm coming~."**_

After hearing the queen's voice, the two children ran back to the child's room before she entered the room, completely forgetting that they left the balloon behind. Shutting the door behind them, they hid under the crib and waited in case Queen Vanessa came inside the room. Suddenly, they heard a loud noise and a scream coming from the queen's bedroom, causing the duo to flinch. Then, a popping sound was heard in the room. Startled, the duo looked at the gift box and to their horror the last balloon had popped off somehow.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me..." Arthur whispered in frustration. Now they had to use something else to make the key fall.

They remained hidden for a few seconds, waiting for Queen Vanessa to come inside the room. Surprisingly, she never came. Quietly and carefully, the duo crawled out from under the crib and tiptoed to the door. Arthur slightly opened it and took a peek inside the bedroom. He saw Queen Vanessa exit the room with something in her clawed hand... it was the key! How did she- Arthur then facepalmed as realization hit him. The balloon. They had left the balloon in the room and it must have made the shadowy queen see the key. Things just went from bad to worse...

He then felt Hat Kid tug on his shirt, causing him to look back at her with a confused look.

"What?" he asked. Hat Kid had a troubled and scared expression as she pointed at the painting on the wall. Arthur looked at it and he formed a horrified look. The persons looking like him and Hat Kid on the painting now had creepy red smiling faces and they both had a Dweller's mask in their hands, making it look like they were removing it just to reveal their creepy faces. That was eerie as hell.

Arthur remained quiet for a few seconds as his eye twitched, before saying with a troubled look, "No comment. Come on, let's go." The two children went back in the bedroom and their faces suddenly grew pale. "Holy hell..." the young boy said with a horrified expression.

The closet they hid in earlier was now knocked over, and right under it was an ice statue of the Mafia man they talked to before. It looks like Queen Vanessa eventually found his hiding spot and he paid the price as a result. Despite how tragic this goon's life ended, neither Arthur nor Hat Kid really felt bad for him; one of the reasons was because of their lack of souls, and the other was because the Mafia man refused to help them.

"Well, I guess that's proof of what he said. We're dealing with an highly psychotic, deranged and love-obsessed monster that turns people into ice statues. Would have been nicer if she went into an ice-selling business for mojitos instead," Arthur said nervously. Hat Kid looked at him confused. What's a 'moh-he-toes'? Before she could ask, Arthur continued speaking.

"Anyway, I have good news and bad news... The good news is that the key is down. The bad news is... well... that monster has it," he said in a nervous tone. Hat Kid's jaw dropped after hearing that. "Not sure how we'll get it back, but we need it to unlock that door, so... let's go find it, I guess," he said with a shrug.

Relucantly, the two children exited the bedroom and returned in the hallway to figure out where Queen Vanessa went with the key. While looking around, they heard a shower running in the room to the right side of the hallway, and steam was coming out from under the door. Was she... taking a shower right now? Well, if she left the key in the room with her, maybe they had a chance to get it back while she was busy taking a shower. Hopefully, they won't have to see her naked, because that will certainly end up in their nightmares...

The duo tiptoed to the door, then Arthur proceeded to open it with a trembling hand. He slightly pushed the door open to take a peek inside the room. It was a small clean bathroom filled with steam. Sure enough, the shower was running and it was closed by a curtain. There was also an ice statue at the corner of the room and there was something written in red on the the mirror next the shower. It said, 'My prince has gone.' Something told Arthur that it wasn't greasepaint though...

Through the steam, the twelve-year-old boy spotted the key on top of the toilet lid on the other side of the room. He looked at Hat Kid and nervously pointed at the key to show it to her, causing her to grow a fearful look. Well... if they wanted the key back, they would have to sneak past the queen while she takes her shower. It was a bad idea... but they had no other choice.

Arthur took a deep breath and was about to go in there when Hat Kid stopped him. The small girl pointed at herself to tell him she would rather do it herself. The reasons were because of the boy's anxiety and also because she didn't want to see him get turned into an ice statue if he gets caught. She would rather take the risk herself than losing her friend. Arthur mouthed the words 'Are you sure?', receiving a nod from Hat Kid. The young boy sighed, before mouthing the words 'Be careful.'

Taking a deep breath, Hat Kid began to tiptoe towards the key. When she was halfway, a lightning suddenly flashed outside, revealing the silhouette of Queen Vanessa in the shower behind the curtain and causing Hat Kid to flinch in surprise. She looked at the shower, worried that the shadowy queen noticed her, but thankfully it didn't seem like she did. She sighed in relief and continued tiptoeing towards the key. Eventually, she managed to reach the key and she grabbed it.

Suddenly, the shower's curtain opened and Queen Vanessa reached out to grab the towel nearby, but she stopped herself after noticing Hat Kid, causing the latter to gasp in fear. The two of them had a staring contest for a moment...

"Uhh... hi?" Hat Kid said with a nervous chuckle.

Darkness filled the bathroom as Queen Vanessa suddenly let out a frightening shriek and attempted to grab the small girl. Hat Kid screamed, barely dodging her, and ran out of the bathroom as fast as she could.

"**OH CRAP!**" Arthur shouted in panic as he stepped aside to let Hat Kid through, before slamming the door shut.

The duo ran down the hallway as fast as they could, making a beeline for the locked double door. Hat Kid quickly put the key in the keyhole and turned it, unlocking the door. Queen Vanessa then barged through the bathroom door and let out another screech, before chasing after the two children. Arthur and Hat Kid gasped and quickly went through the double door, slamming it shut behind them. Hat Kid quickly used the key to lock the door and prevent Queen Vanessa from following them. She and Arthur took a few steps back as they heard the queen bang on the doors repeatedly in an attempt to break them down.

"I don't know how long it'll keep her out, so let's get out of here!" Arthur said in panicking tone, before he and Hat Kid ran up the stairs.

After going up the stairs, they finally found themselves in the attic. There were boxes lying around, cobwebs at the corners of the room, a table with a candelabra on it, a closet, an armchair, and a chandelier with lit candles hanging on the ceiling. At the end of the room was a chest under a large window. The two children ran towards it and opened it. Their eyes widened after checking the content. There was a Time Piece inside, which Hat Kid proceeded to grab.

"You were right, there was a Time Piece here after all. Now let's get out of here before-" Arthur's sentence was cut short when a loud breaking noise was heard coming from downstairs. In a matter of seconds, Queen Vanessa entered the attic and let out a screech after spotting the duo at the end of the room, before running towards them.

Panicking, Arthur looked at the window, then he pulled out his crowbar and smashed the glass with it to open up an exit for them. Not even caring about high it was, he and Hat Kid jumped off the window before the shadowy queen could grab them. The two children screamed as they fell downward. Thankfully, the snow softened their landing. After quickly recovering from the fall, Arthur and Hat Kid got up and ran off with the Time Piece in hand.

Meanwhile, Queen Vanessa was standing behind the now-broken window, watching the two children run away from her manor. She let out a frustrated and high-pitched roar that echoed throughout the whole area, while the duo continued running and disappeared out of sight in the snowy fog.

* * *

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! Well, that wraps up the totally-not creepy, nightmarish and horror act of Subcon Forest, Queen Vanessa's Manor (although it's not as bad as a lot of horror games I saw, thankfully). I know that a lot of you have been longing to see this act come in my story though, so I hope you all liked it. Oh, just a little heads up, if you're all wondering about the Toilet of Doom contract, don't worry. I have a little set up in my head to trigger the act in my story. You'll have to wait and see after the mail delivery thingy. ;)**

**Anyway, time to answer a few... oh wait, no, that's actually a lot of reviews! ^^; Ahem, anyway! Let's get to it!**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Yeah, she's terrifying. Thankfully, when I got the game and played it, I was already used to it because I watched playthroughs of AHiT before. So it didn't bother me as much. ^^; And as you could see in the chapter, Arthur's anxiety didn't like that at all. Good thing Hat Kid was there for him.**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Yeah, even without their souls they still care about each other, and even in the manor they still did. It just comes to show that friendship can never be broken when strong enough. ^^ And you'll soon see about the rest in the upcoming chapters. ;)**

_**To Rub37:**_** Yup, and this chapter summed it all up pretty well.**

_**To O:**_** Arthur and Hat Kid aren't really ones to use someone's tragic past to torture someone mentally or tease them. And besides, I'm planning to do the Time Rifts after the Snatcher's Boss Fight only.**

_**To HexoSpikeZ:**_** Yeah, I'm also used to this act. Well, thankfully no one got frozen here, even if the duo were close to it near the end. As for the souls, I'll stick with what's in the game and the duo will only get their souls back after the Snatcher's Boss Fight.**

_**To G:**_** You'll have to wait and see. But I can guarantee you that Arthur isn't the kind of person to do something like that. At least, not in a malicious way of any kind.**

_**To Jolteron:**_** Indeed. Even if they don't have a soul anymore, they still have a strong bond. It just comes to show that friendship can never be broken when strong enough. ;) Also, Hat Kid mostly did this because of the mischievous part of her personality, and without her soul that side just reveals itself more than usual. XD And yeah, the Snatcher is... well, mostly traumatized by Vanessa because of... you know what. XD**

_**To Typeunmasked and Crab78:**_** Nice! XD**

_**To PatoMayo:**_** Yup, and the chills were real. QwQ**

**Alrighty! That's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	32. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

After narrowly escaping from the manor in one piece, Arthur and Hat Kid didn't stop running until they passed the bridge. Once they did, they stopped as the adrenaline left their bodies and they took a moment to catch their breath.

"That was... close..." Arthur said in between breaths. "This is the first and the last time... I'm going to that manor... no exception...". Hat Kid nodded in agreement as she breathed heavily as well. Of all the adventures and missions she went through in her life, it was without a doubt the most terrifying experience she ever had.

Suddenly, something emerged from the ground and shouted, **"WHYYYYY HELLO THERE, KIDDOS!"**. Arthur and Hat Kid both yelped in surprise and held each other in fear at the sudden voice. However, they frowned when they saw it was the Snatcher. The soul-stealing shadow grinned mischievously, satisfied that he scared the socks off of the two children.

**"Wow, you're actually both still alive! I'm impressed! Are you okay though? You kids look like you've seen a _ghost_!"** he said teasingly. Arthur and Hat Kid let go of each other and glared at the shadow in annoyance.

"Very damn funny, noodle," Arthur hissed angrily through gritted teeth. The Snatcher huffed at the insult and crossed his arms.

**"'Noodle'? Is that all you found to insult me?"** the soul-stealing shadow asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"That's because you look like one," Arthur said snarkily.

**"Excuse me, kid? Do you have a _death wish_ or something?"** the Snatcher threatened with a displeased look, leaning closer to the boy. Sensing that any further remark would get him killed on the spot, Arthur looked down and remained quiet. **"That's what I thought,"** the soul-stealing shadow said as he leaned back. He then looked at Hat Kid and spotted the Time Piece in her hands.

**"So you found another Time Piece in the attic, I see,"** he remarked. Hat Kid hesitantly nodded, hoping he wouldn't ask her to give it to him. To her relief, the Snatcher merely shrugged and said, **"Eh, you can keep it. It's not like you can make much use of it anyway,"** in a teasing tone, referring to the fact they couldn't use the Time Pieces to leave the forest.

Arthur shook his head and asked, "Who is this... queen, princess, monster or... whatever-she-is, by the way?". Upon hearing this question, the Snatcher's grinning expression turned into a scowl.

**"Just someone I wish I never met,"** the soul-stealing shadow said bitterly. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at him curiously. He really doesn't seem to like Queen Vanessa. They wondered what she did to the Snatcher for him to hate her and, from the looks of it, to even _fear_ her. Well, they didn't blame him honestly... she was the scariest thing the duo ever saw. Though, it was weird to know that the Snatcher feared someone else, since he was a shadow who is supposed to scare others and not the other way around. The Snatcher shook his head, before returning to his usual gleeful and mischievous behavior.

**"Anyway, this contract is done now,"** he said, snapping his fingers. A small *poof* was heard inside of Hat Kid's hat, meaning that the contract about the manor vanished since it was now complete. **"Now, you have to deliver packages to 10 of my minions. Looks like you've become mailmen now!"** he added teasingly.

"So it's just delivering mail, right? No crazy old woman turning people into ice statues or anything that involves us getting almost drowned into water?" Arthur asked skeptically.

**"Nope, it's just a boring and uninteresting job of delivering mails to my minions. Nothing more,"** the Snatcher explained in a bored and casual tone.** "And guess what, it's your last contract too!"** he added enthusiastically. Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes widened upon hearing that.

"What?" Arthur asked surprised, wondering if he heard him right.

**"That's right! I have nothing left for you to do in my forest after that, since you've both been doing surprisingly well and all. You even took all the contracts for yourselves and left none for any potential future contractors, which I still think is very rude,"** the Snatcher explained.

"Does that mean we'll get our souls back soon?" the young boy asked expectantly.

**"We'll talk about it,"** the Snatcher simply said. The two children gave him suspicious looks, though the soul-stealing shadow ignored them. **"Anyways, I need a moment to get everything ready for your new delivery job. That should give you both enough time to do what you mortals call 'sleeping', which I don't even need to do at all!"** he boasted, making the duo roll their eyes at him. **"I hope you don't mind the hard floor though, because I don't have any beds for you, kids. I guess that's too bad, right? Anyway, I'm off! Try not to have _nightmares_! HA HA HA HA HA HA!"** he mischievously added, before vanishing into the ground.

"Just one last contract, huh? That's good. I just hope he won't screw us over after that. Though, I guess I shouldn't get my hopes up with a shadow..." Arthur muttered. "Anyway, let's try to get some shut-eye," he suggested. Hat Kid nodded at him.

With that said, the two children started looking for a place that was comfortable enough for them to sleep. They eventually found a good spot under a big tree and decided to rest there. They then set a little camp fire to stay warm, making sure that it was safe enough so that it doesn't set the whole forest on fire. After that, they both lied down on the ground and they quickly fell asleep, exhausted from their experiences in the Subcon Well and the Manor.

* * *

_Arthur slowly opened his eyes, before slowly sitting up. He rubbed his eyes, before looking around as his vision readjusted itself._

_"The hell?" he asked, his eyes widening in a mix of surprise, shock and confusion. He wasn't in Subcon Forest like he expected to wake up at. Instead, he was in an extremely familiar place... His bedroom._

_"I'm... home?" he asked himself as he looked around in confusion. How? All he did was fall asleep and now he was back home? Was he... dreaming at the moment? Because it felt extremely and unpleasantly realistic..._

_Suddenly, a loud knock was heard on the door, causing Arthur to jolt in surprise._

_"ARTHUR! OPEN THIS DOOR NOW!" a familiar voice said from the other side as they knocked louder. Arthur gasped in fear. It was his father. Oh no no no, not him! Anyone but him! "Arthur! If you don't open up now, I'm gonna **knock** that door down and I swear I'll knock you into next week!" he repeated angrily, knocking harder on the door._

_Arthur felt like he was on the verge of hyperventilating. He didn't want to deal with his father now. However, he knew it was going to be worse if he didn't open his door now. He gulped nervously, before getting up from his bed and making his way to the door, before relucantly unlocking it and opening it with a trembling hand._

_Sure enough, his father was here... an empty bottle in his hand and he smelled of alcohol. He had been drinking again. Arthur felt extremely anxious as his father glared at him._

_"Where the hell were you?!" he hissed angrily as he entered the room, forcing Arthur to step back in fear._

_"Oh uhh... I... I was, uhh... o-out," the twelve-year-old boy lied, stuttering. He couldn't tell his father where he really had been. He would never believe him if he did and he would probably beat him up for 'lying'._

_"'Out', huh? For a damn **MONTH?!** WHERE. WERE. YOU?!" his father shouted angrily, causing Arthur to flinch and place his arms in front of himself protectively. Suddenly, his father noticed the scar on the boy's cheek and he grew even more furious. "What's that? A scar? And it's already been sewed back up?! Do I have to pay the hospital **again** for this?!" he asked through gritted teeth, clutching the bottle in his hand tighter._

_"N-no! Y-you don't have to pay anything! It's, uhh... already b-been dealt with," Arthur stuttered, hoping it would calm his father down. However, it was the exact opposite that occured..._

_"**WHAT?!** Did you take money from my wallet to pay the hospital?! No wonder I never have any money! You've also been stealing from me, you damn brat!" his father shouted angrily. However, Arthur suddenly frowned and gritted his teeth at the sudden accusation._

_"I never took **anything** from you! Open your damn eyes! You never have money because you keep spending it at the bar where you drink like a damn leaky barrel!" Arthur retorted angrily before he could stop himself. He soon regretted it when he saw his father's eye twitch._

_"What. Did. You. **SAY?!**" he yelled angrily as he threw his bottle on the floor, causing it to shatter on impact and making Arthur flinch._

_'Ohhhh no...' the young boy thought, trembling in fear. Why the peck did he say that? Now, he was in big trouble for sure..._

_"First, you go missing, only to return with a blasted scar, and now you dare talk to me like that?!" his father shouted through gritted teeth. He took a few steps towards Arthur, forcing him to back away until he reached the wall. "Well, guess what, Arthur... I'm gonna have to **punish you for this,"** he added, his voice resonating and becoming deeper and darker on the last words._

_To Arthur's horror, his father's eyes glowed red, his skin and clothes became darker, and his form changed into a familiar creature with a crown and a torn dress, as darkness filled the room. He had morphed into Queen Vanessa. Oh no... not her again!_

_Arthur attempted to run away, but the shadowy queen grabbed him by the throat with one hand and pinned him against the wall, causing his cowboy hat to fall on the floor. He coughed and let out strangled sounds as Queen Vanessa's hand squeezed his neck. Tears ran down his face as he desperately punched and pulled on the monster's arm to make her let go in vain. Suddenly, he felt a freezing sensation on his neck and it just seemed to spread on his body. Arthur panicked upon realizing what was happening. No... not like this! Sure, he wanted to die, but not that way! He didn't want to become an ice statue for eternity! Anything but that! No! **NOOOO!**_

_**"Arthur~. Arthuuuur~,"** Queen Vanessa repeated the boy's name as she watched him slowly turn into ice. It was cold. So cold... It was-_

_**"Art**_**hur."**

**"Art**hur?"

"Arthur?"

"ARTHUR!"

Arthur gasped heavily as his eyes shot open, sweat dripping from his forehead. He lifted himself up a little and looked around frantically, while breathing heavily and quickly. He recognized the trees and the dark atmosphere of Subcon Forest, except it was slightly brighter, probably because it was now morning. He looked down at himself and was relieved to see that there was no ice on his body. It was just another nightmare, thank goodness... He looked up and saw Hat Kid kneeling in front of him and looking at him worriedly. She probably must have seen him squirm around during his sleep and had proceeded to wake him up.

"Oh h-hey, Hat Kid. It's... it's nothing, I just, uhh... had a bad dream, that's all," Arthur said in between breaths as he sat up, trying not to worry her. Honestly, a 'bad dream' was an understatement... it was more of an horrible nightmare that felt extremely real. But he didn't want to talk about it.

Hat Kid could see how shaken the young boy was. Even without her soul, she was concerned about him; not as much as usual, but still enough. Judging by the breathing and sweating mess that Arthur was, the nigthmare he had must have been really bad. Hat Kid moved her arms forward to hug him, but Arthur turned away from her and wrapped his arms around his knees, while remaining in a sitting position.

"I'm fine," the young boy lied, keeping his back turned on his friend. Hat Kid sighed sadly. Now he was back to brushing off her concerns and saying he was 'fine'. Whatever dream he had, it must have clearly bothered him.

"Hey, newbies!"

Arthur and Hat Kid both jolted at the sudden voice. They looked around and saw a minion standing behind them.

"Oh... hey," Arthur greeted him with a blank expression.

"Boss just finished the preparations for your next contract. He sent me over to fetch you both," the minion explained. He then noticed Arthur's state and asked, "Are you okay, kid? You don't look too good."

"I'm fine," the twelve-year-old boy lied. He got up and simply said, "Come on, lead the way." The minion eyed him for a moment before he shrugged and began leading the duo through the forest. While they were walking, Hat Kid continued to stare at Arthur, clearly worried about him. Nonetheless, she could see that he didn't want to talk about it, so she decided to let it slide for now.

"Okay, newbies, there he is," the minion said, pointing at the Snatcher who was waiting near the clearing with a mailman's hat on his head. Next to him was a grandfather clock with a mailbox under it, standing between two cases with some letters in them. "I gotta leave now. See you!" the minion said before he took off.

The two children approached the Snatcher who grinned upon seeing them.

**"GOOOOOOOD MORNING! Are you both ready to complete your contractual obligations?"** the soul-stealing shadow asked gleefully.

"Not like we have much of a choice anyway. So let's get it over with," Arthur simply said.

**"Good! You kids should know that I'm not heartless! Every so often I sneak into mailboxes and steal letters, then deliver them to my minions. That way it's almost like someone _cares_ about them,"** the Snatcher explained.

"You do?" Arthur asked as he and Hat Kid gave him surprised looks.

**"Only to a small extent, because they're working hard to keep my forest in order,"** the Snatcher deadpanned, making it seem like it was no big deal... or at least _trying to_ from Hat Kid's perspective. It's not every day that you hear a big scary shadow that steals souls say that he cares about his minions. Is it possible that the Snatcher is not as bad and heartless as he is or tries to be?

Hat Kid smiled. Since they had been working hard on their contractual obligations, perhaps he started caring about them too? That'd be so sweet coming from a shadow! The purple-hatted girl wrapped her arm around Arthur and pointed two fingers at the boy and herself, asking the Snatcher if he cared about them too.

**"Don't go get any ideas, kiddo. You two don't count,"** the soul-stealing shadow said unamused as he crossed his arms.

Somehow, it sounded hard to believe for Hat Kid. She let go of Arthur and simply shrugged, although a slight smile was still present on her face. Maybe he is just what people call a 'soon-deh-ray'. Maybe he just likes to pretend he doesn't care when he does in reality.

**"Anyway, since our last mailman has gone _*poof*_, you'll both have to do the delivery,"** the Snatcher said, before snapping his fingers. A white and red gift box then appeared at his side. **"I've got a 'gift' for the occasion. Although it requires a special kind of hat to use – I hope you've got it! _Ha ha ha!_"**

The two children approached the gift and Hat Kid opened it. Her eyes sparkled as she took the content out, which was a purple badge with a golden scooter drawn on it. It was the same badge that the Badge Seller tried to sell her back when they were about to enter Dead Bird Studio to retrieve her lost Time Pieces; and unfortunately, she didn't have enough pons to afford it back then. This time she gets to try it for free!

**"This badge is only a rental. I need it back before you leave! Remember to put it on your Sprint Hat, or it does absolutely _nothing!_ _HA HA HA HA HA!_"** he said mockingly. Hat Kid crossed her arms and pouted, clearly disappointed that she doesn't get to keep the badge after that. Nonetheless, she pulled out her Sprint Hat and placed the new badge on it, before putting the hat of her head in place of her top hat. **"All of the minions who are awaiting mail will wave at you when you pass near them on the mail delivery scooter. Once you're done, come back here and _'clock' out_. Get it?"** he said with an eager grin as he motioned his head to the grandfather clock, hoping they got the joke. Hat Kid gave the shadow a confused look, while Arthur crossed his arms and stared at him unamused. The Snatcher's grin faded and he sighed in exasperation.

**"You kids have no sense of humor,"** the soul-stealing shadow said, shaking his head. **"Whatever. Just go deliver that mail already,"** he ordered, waving his hand dismissively.

"As you wish, _boss_," Arthur said annoyed, making the Snatcher roll his eyes at him.

With a nod, Hat Kid closed her eyes and focused to activate the new badge's ability. Suddenly, a purple scooter with a blue delivery bag containing mail at the back was summoned with a puff of smoke under the duo, causing them to yelp in surprise as they found themselves sitting on said scooter. Hat Kid was the front and Arthur was sitting just behind her. The small girl grinned in excitement as she placed her hands on the handlebars.

"Uh, have you ever driven a scooter before, kid?" Arthur asked in a nervous tone. Hat Kid looked at him and shook her head no, while still keeping her excited grin on her face. How hard can it be? "Figures... Well, just don't send us crashing into a tree please. Anyway, you drive and I'll throw the mail," he suggested. Hat Kid nodded at him.

"Alright, let's go**_OOOOOOOW!_**" Arthur yelped when Hat Kid unexpectedly pushed the wrist of the handbars forward, causing the scooter to go forward at fast speed.

"Weeeeee!" Hat Kid giggled in amusement as Arthur wrapped his arms around her to prevent himself from falling off while she was driving. This was so much fun!

While they were driving, Arthur spotted a minion who was waving at them on the side of the path. He must be one of the minions awaiting for mail. The young boy asked Hat Kid to slow down so he could throw the mail at him, which she did. Arthur dug inside the bag behind him, taking a package out of it before throwing it at the minion who caught it effortlessly.

"Thanks, newbies!" the minion shouted, waving at the duo happily.

The two children drove down the path and made a stop at Subcon Village, delivering mail to four more minions. That makes 5 minions out of 10 who received mail so far. That was quick! The duo returned on the path and headed to Subcon Swamp next to find more minions to deliver mail to. So far, the task was simple enough: just drive around the forest and deliver mail. Easy! No terrifying monsters or anything yet. It was certainly a big change from the contracts they did last night.

Hat Kid stopped at the entrance of the swamp, so she and Arthur could try to spot the minions waiting for mail from their position instead of blindly driving in and risking to fall in the water.

"I think I see some of them up there in the trees," Arthur said, pointing up at a few minions waving at them from atop of the leafed branches in the trees. "I can't throw mail that high though. We'll have to climb the trees if we want to get to them," he said.

"Mmm..." Hat Kid hummed as she put her hand on her chin in a thinking manner. She then spotted a noose nearby that seemed to be hanging from the top of a tree. Maybe they could use it to climb up the tree and be able to reach the same level as the minions. She looked at Arthur and pointed at the noose to show him what she had in mind.

The twelve-year-old boy shrugged and said, "I guess that could work," though he felt a bit creeped out by the sight of the noose. However, it seemed like the only way to go up in the trees, so... peck it.

The two children got off of the scooter, causing it to disappear in a puff of smoke. Hat Kid approached the noose and placed her hands on it to start climbing.

**"Why hello there. You two look... new around here,"** the noose suddenly spoke, glowing blue as it talked. Both children froze in place upon hearing the voice.

"Am I going crazy or did that noose just talk?" Arthur asked with a shocked expression.

**"Yes. It was me who talked, indeed,"** the noose answered, causing Hat Kid to remove her hands from it in surprise. She and Arthur looked at each other with scared expressions. Even the noose was alive? That is freaky as peck. **"You know, I haven't seen good solid necks like yours for a long time. I wouldn't mind being _strapped around_ cute necks like yours,"** it added creepily. The two children held their necks and gulped nervously at the thought.

"Uhhh... thanks, but we, uhhh... still kinda need our necks intact, Mr. Uhh... Noose... We just wanna climb up the tree, that's all," Arthur said with a nervous chuckle. Hat Kid nodded with a nervous grin.

**"Oh, that's a shame. I would've been honored to be the one who squeezes the life out of you both,"** the noose said sadly, causing the duo to shudder. **"Oh well, you can grab onto me and I'll give you two a lift up the tree if you want,"** it offered.

"You... will?" Arthur asked surprised and nervous at the same time.

**"Of course. As long as I get a glimpse of those necks of yours,"** the noose said.

"Ahem... sure alright..." Arthur stuttered nervously. He then whispered in Hat Kid's ear, "Let's just go look somewhere else. I wanna get away from this... crazy, neck-obsessed talking noose as far as possible." As much as the small girl wanted to get away from the noose as well, she didn't want to leave the minions in the trees hanging. She shook her head and firmly pointed at the noose to tell him they should use it to climb up. Arthur sighed and whispered to her, "Fine... but just this once."

Not comfortable with using her hands to grab onto the noose anymore, Hat Kid pulled out her umbrella and grabbed Arthur's hand, then she used her Hookshot ability to latch onto the noose. Remaining true to its word, the noose lifted the two children up until they were at the level of the leafed branches. Hat Kid swung on it and landed on the nearest branch, along with Arthur.

**"Come see me again if you need another lift... or a _hanging_,"** the noose said, before it lowered back down to its original position.

A moment of silence occured, before Arthur eventually said, "A talking noose... The next thing I know my hat will start talking too."

"_Arthur~... Arthuuur~..._" a tiny voice was then heard, seemingly coming from his hat. Arthur flinched before he turned around, only to see Hat Kid standing close behind him and teasingly trying to imitate a voice for his hat.

"Very funny, Hat Kid," Arthur said sarcastically with an unamused look. Hat Kid let out a small laugh, amused by the boy's reaction.

Shortly after that, Hat Kid summoned the delivery scooter back, then she began driving and hopping from branch to branch. She did that while still being on the scooter, despite Arthur's protests as he kept his arms tightly wrapped around her anxiously. Surprisingly, she managed to do that without falling or driving the scooter into a tree. After Arthur was able to throw packages at three minions, Hat Kid hopped the scooter down from the tree, causing Arthur to let out a scream as she did, and landed safely on the path before she drove off. Arthur was impressed. For a first time driving a scooter, she was doing surprisingly well. Although, he wished she could go a bit slower and take less dangerous paths... but she was too excited to listen to him.

The duo drove to a part of the forest they hadn't explored yet. To their shock, the trees were burning in this part, although it didn't look like it was spreading. They wondered what started the fire in the first place and how it was not spreading. Maybe the Snatcher's magic was keeping it at bay, but why didn't he extinguish it yet? The two children decided not to question it. They were able to find two minions waiting for mail there, and they proceeded to deliver them packages.

And with that, a total of 10 minions had received mail. Their last contract was complete! Now, all they had to do was return to the Snatcher's side, and hopefully, he will agree to return them their souls and let them go since they had been doing all the hard work for him. The duo drove back to the starting place where the soul-stealing shadow was waiting for them.

"Alright, it's done," Arthur said as he got off the scooter alongside Hat Kid, causing it to disappear in a puff of smoke.

**"Great job! Although, the challenge wasn't very high bar if you consider it. But, eh, whatever,"** the Snatcher said with a shrug. He then snapped his fingers, causing a small *poof* to be heard coming from Hat Kid's top hat and Sprint Hat each. The small girl pulled out her top hat and removed her Sprint Hat from her head. The last contract in her top hat was gone, along with the rented badge on her Sprint Hat. Right... now that the task was complete, the Snatcher had taken the badge back. Hat Kid sighed sadly, before placing her top hat back on her head and putting her Sprint Hat away. Riding a scooter was fun while it lasted at least...

**"Also, my minions found a Time Piece while taking care of something in my forest. They actually asked – no, scratch that – _begged_ me to give it to you two as a thank you for the mail. So... whatever. Take it, I don't care,"** the soul-stealing shadow said, before snapping his fingers. A Time Piece appeared in front of the children. Hat Kid took it with a smile, before she pocketed it.

**"Well, I'm all out of contracts. You both actually managed to complete them all successfully. I gotta admit, I didn't expect you two to even get pass the first one. That's quite impressive, I must say,"** the Snatcher explained, earning satisfied smiles from the duo. **"So-"**

The soul-stealing shadow was abruptly interrupted when a large pipe suddenly emerged from the ground a few feet away from him and the children, followed by another one nearby. A dark purple and yellow ghoulish magic was spouting out of the pipes.

"What the hell is going on?!" Arthur asked, looking at the pipes in a mix of surprise and confusion. The Snatcher frowned as he had a feeling of déjà vu. He snapped his fingers, making his mailman's hat vanish, and he flew down the path, heading for Subcon Village. Arthur and Hat Kid glanced at each other and shrugged, before following the shadow out of curiosity.

As the children ran after the Snatcher, they saw more pipes coming out on the sides of the path and further down in the forest. When the trio arrived at the village, their eyes widened in horror. Pipes were emerging everywhere from the ground, the minions were running around while screaming in panic, and the Dwellers did the same except they remained quiet and were floating around instead.

"Holy hell..." Arthur said to himself as he watched the chaos unfold before his eyes in shock.

"Boss! Boss!" a minion shouted in panic as he ran towards the Snatcher, before stopping in front of him and breathing heavily.

**"What's going on here?"** the Snatcher asked... worriedly? Arthur and Hat Kid were surprised to see him look so concerned, considering he was supposed to be an evil shadow.

"It's the Toilet of Doom, boss! I-it's back!" the minion said, panicking. The Snatcher's eyes widened in shock, before an angry look formed on his face.

**"WHAT?! I thought that nuisance was dealt with after I destroyed the bridge and sealed it away in the arena!"** the soul-stealing shadow said with a growl.

"The Toilet of Doom? What's that?" Arthur asked confused.

"An old possessed outhouse! It's been going around the forest, causing havoc several times a few years ago. So the boss lured it to the arena, fought it, defeated it, sealed it inside a magical prison, and destroyed the bridge to keep it at bay. But somehow, it managed to break free of the spell and now it's back!" the minion explained in panic.

"Damn..." Arthur said as he and Hat Kid gave each other shocked looks. As the Snatcher was thinking of a way to get rid of the possessed outhouse for good, he glanced at the two children and he grinned as an idea came to his mind. If they managed to get pass Queen Vanessa, they could certainly deal with this as well!

**"Tell you what, kiddos. How about we make one LAST contract before you go?"** he asked, before snapping his fingers and making another contract appear in front of the duo.

"Wait, what?! You said our previous contract was the _last one_!" Arthur stated angrily.

**"Well, too bad! Now I've got another one for the both of you and that's a big one! So don't question it and sign the paper already,"** the Snatcher firmly said.

"No way! We already completed all of our contractual obligations! We. Are. **_Done._** So give us our souls and our freedom back, and go deal with it on your own!" Arthur hissed through gritted teeth. The Snatcher's eye twitched angrily at the boy's answer.

"Ohhh no..." the minion said nervously, before turning away in anticipation.

Suddenly, the Snatcher wrapped both of his hands around Arthur's neck and slightly lifted him up in the air, before he began to strangle him. The young boy let out a choked gasp and pulled on the shadow's wrists reflexively in a desperate attempt to make him let go. Hat Kid gasped in horror and pulled on one of the Snatcher's arms to make him let go of Arthur, without success.

**"In case it hasn't gotten through your _tiny_ skull yet... YOUR OPINION. _DOESN'T_. MATTER. TO ME! SO SIGN THE _DAMN_ CONTRACT ALREADY OR I'LL END YOU BOTH _HERE AND NOW_!"** the Snatcher yelled at Arthur's face in pure rage, his voice echoing throughout the whole forest.

"Ack! Alright, alright...! We'll sign it...! Agh!" Arthur said, letting out strangled sounds while speaking. The Snatcher then harshly threw him back on the ground. The twelve-year-old boy gasped for air and coughed as he placed his hands on his sore throat. Hat Kid ran to his side and helped him up, before shooting the Snatcher a death glare, which he brushed off.

With no other choice, the two children both signed their names on the contract without taking the time to read the details; though, it was clear it was about fighting the Toilet of Doom, judging by the title and the current situation going on in Subcon Forest at the moment. After they did, the Snatcher stamped the contract and made it vanish.

**"Now get to it! And don't come back before you dealt with that nuisance!"** the Snatcher ordered angrily. Arthur and Hat Kid nodded quickly in fear.

"I'll lead you to the arena, newbies! This way!" the minion said as he motioned for them to follow him.

With that said, the two children quickly followed the minion through the village, heading for the arena to put a stop to the Toilet of Doom's rampage for good.

* * *

**A/N: Hey everyone! That wraps up the easiest (and most boring) act of Subcon Forest. I made sure to include the noose in this chapter, just so you guys could see the kids' reaction to it. Now, it's time for the two children to face off the Toilet of Doom! Looks like they're gonna need a plunger for this one! Grab some popcorn and get ready for a fight between the duo and the old possessed toilet!**

**Alrighty! Time to answer some reviews!**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Well, unfortunately she made another appearance in Arthur's nightmare... but you can be sure that's the last time she appears outside of the Time Rift's Storybook. Anyway, thank you!**

_**To Nothosaurus:**_** She reappeared inside Arthur's nightmare. The Time Rift's Storybook will be the last time she appears in the story though.**

_**To nico2411:**_** Honestly, I'm used to Queen Vanessa's Manor act after watching it on Youtube so many times. Now I just play the level casually without getting scared or anything, since I know it by heart at this point. I'm also aware of the skip, though I never take it because YOLOOOOOOOOO! :D**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Thank you! Yeah, this act is a bit confusing and scary on the first try. Thankfully (or unfortunately), I already knew what to do after watching it on Youtube, so... yeah. ^^;**

**Alright, that's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	33. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

The minion guided Arthur and Hat Kid through the village, passing near the pipes emerging from the ground and the panicking minions and Dwellers. They eventually arrived in front of a large gap – where the bridge presumably used to be before it was destroyed in the past by the Snatcher – with flying hooks acting as the only way to get across it.

"The arena is on the other side of that gap!" the minion said as he pointed at the shape of a large structure faintly seen through the fog where more ghoulish magic was coming out from. He pointed up at the flying hooks and said, "If you have something to grapple onto these hooks, you can get to the other side!".

"Yeah, we can do that," Arthur said with a nod. "Say, uh... how tough is the Toilet of Doom by the way? Know anything that might help us exploit its weaknesses to defeat it easier?" he asked.

The minion placed his hand on his chin in a thinking manner and said, "Hmm... Well, the Toilet of Doom is quite tough, but thankfully it has a weak point. I remember from the time when the boss fought it that it has some sort of heart inside of it. It's protected by the outhouse's door, but it occasionally opens and the toilet turns blue in the process. That's when it's the most vulnerable."

"Noted. Do you remember its attacks too?" Arthur asked him.

"I remember it uses acid bubbles, cherry bombs, and shockwaves to attack its enemies. I think there's also a flaw in its bubble attack: some of them don't actually hurt you. You can probably use that to your advantage too," the minion explained.

"Sounds good. Alright, we'll try to take care of this," Arthur said with a nod.

"Thank you, newbies. Good luck!" the minion said, before running off.

"Well, looks like we're fighting a toilet then. Not the most 'hygienic' foe, but it's not like we have a choice. Let's do this, I guess," Arthur said with a look of disgust. Hat Kid grimaced in disgust and sighed. She didn't want to touch a dumb, smelly toilet, but like Arthur said they had no other choice.

The two children swung across the chasm by using their Hookshot abilities and landed on the other side. As they did, more pipes emerged on the sides of the path. They went forward and entered the arena. On the low walls of the arena were various books, Erlenmeyer flasks, skulls, candles, brooms, and closets. Cages with Dwellers trapped inside were hanging by chains from the ceiling. In the middle of the arena was a pool filled with a green, bubbling liquid – probably acid – with a lit lantern hanging above it. And inside said pool was a wooden outhouse with a small pipe sticking out of it on its left side and a basket filled with dirty toilet paper attached on its right side. The outhouse was moving, meaning it was alive. That was it: the Toilet of Doom.

"Oof... Smells bad already," Arthur said with a disgusted expression, waving his hand in front of his nose. Hat Kid covered her nose with her hand and nodded in disgust. "So that's the Toilet of Doom... It's exactly like they said: old, possessed, smelly..."

The Toilet of Doom suddenly noticed the duo and it roared loudly at them as its door opened, revealing a green, pulsating, gelatinous and sticky substance surrounded by a jumbled mess of pipes inside of it, which appeared to be its heart.

"... and very pissed off too," Arthur added nervously as the possessed outhouse's door closed. Arthur took a deep breath and pulled out his crowbar. "Alright, get ready," he said. Hat Kid nodded and pulled out her umbrella.

The Toilet of Doom made its first move, sinking into the pool and reemerging outside of it on the other side of the arena. Its door opened and it began spitting large acid bubbles at the two children. Arthur and Hat Kid did their best to dodge every single one of them to avoid getting dissolved on the spot. Eventually, one of the bubbles popped, revealing an activated cherry bomb that was inside of it. Hat Kid glanced at the fruit, then at the Toilet of Doom, and she smirked as an idea came through her mind.

While avoiding the bubbles, she ran towards the cherry bomb and picked it up, cringing as she did since it came from the disgusting toilet. She then ran towards the Toilet of Doom with the cherry bomb in hands. Upon seeing her coming with the fruit, the outhouse trembled in fear and raised its door protectively as if begging for its life. Though, Hat Kid remained merciless and threw the cherry bomb at it, causing the fruit to explode on impact and making the outhouse fall on its back. Hat Kid looked at her hands with a grossed-out expression and waved them in the air in an attempt to shake off any droplets of the gross water. She made a mental note to take a bath as soon as possible.

Despite the hit, The Toilet of Doom bounced back up and disappeared into the ground, before reappearing a bit farther away from the duo. It then leaped up high into the air and slammed back down on the ground. Arthur and Hat Kid both yelped as they were bounced up in the air due to the strength of the impact. They then saw a shockwave created by the outhouse come their way, and they quickly got up and jumped over it. The Toilet of Doom jumped and slammed back down again, but this time, the two children jumped right before the impact and jumped over the next shockwave as it came.

The outhouse then jumped back into the acid pool, and its door opened before a horn blared out, causing the two children to cover their ears at the noise. Suddenly, clanging was heard and cages swung towards the duo.

"Look out!" Arthur shouted, tackling Hat Kid out of the way as a cage swung in her direction. He then quickly got up and helped the young alien up on her feet.

While dodging the incoming cages, the duo then noticed that the Toilet of Doom was now blue and its heart was currently exposed. It was time to strike; but how could they hit it without going into the acid pool? Arthur then spotted the lantern above the outhouse, and that gave him an idea. He latched onto the lantern with his Hookshot ability and swung towards the outhouse, kicking it in the heart and knocking the toilet out of the pool.

The Toilet of Doom was not done though. It bounced back up before continuing to attack the duo with its bubble and shockwave attacks. During the battle, a crowd of minions and Dwellers gathered around the arena to watch the fight unfold. They cheered every time the two children managed to land a hit on the outhouse, clapping and throwing roses in the arena.

After getting hit multiple times, the Toilet of Doom let out a furious roar, forcing Arthur and Hat Kid to cover their ears. It then jumped in the acid pool and spouted out three bubbles that floated above the pond, before sinking back into it and reemerging at another spot of the arena. The outhouse then made small jumps to create shockwaves to harm the duo; though it didn't bounce them up like the high jumps did.

While jumping over the shockwaves, the two children looked at the floating bubbles and noticed that two of them were transparent instead of green. These ones must be made of clean water instead of acid: it must be the flaw in the bubble attack that the minion talked about earlier. Speaking of which, one of the two water bubbles had a cherry bomb inside. Arthur and Hat Kid nodded at each other, having the same idea.

While Arthur distracted the Toilet of Doom, Hat Kid grappled onto the lantern and swung inside the bubble containing the cherry bomb before grabbing the fruit, causing the bubble to pop and activating the cherry in the process. She then threw it at the outhouse while its back was turned, and it blew up, knocking it on the ground.

Furious, the Toilet of Doom jumped back into the pool and spouted out six bubbles, before going back out and creating shockwaves again. Three were made of acid, the others were made of water, and one of them had a cherry bomb in it. This will be more difficult... Arthur once again acted as a distraction and Hat Kid went to grab the cherry bomb. She latched onto the lantern again and swung between the bubbles – barely missing an acid one – before eventually managing to grab the cherry bomb. Once again, she threw it at the outhouse, damaging it even further.

This time, the Toilet of Doom was enraged and let out another angry roar, almost causing the two children to stumble on their backs. It then spat a cherry bomb above the acid pool as three cages containing Dwellers lowered down around the fruit. The cages then opened, allowing the Dwellers to fly inside the cherry. To the children's shock, the cherry bomb grew larger and larger with each Dweller going inside, and became _massive_ with a black skull painted on it, a giant clock and giant lit dynamites strapped around it. The weight of the giant fruit caused a slight tremor as it fell inside the acid pond, making the two children and the minions outside the arena stumble backward on the ground.

The Toilet of Doom jumped on top of the giant cherry bomb as it began ticking. Its door opened and it began dancing to taunt the duo, unintentionally becoming blue and signaling its vulnerability. After getting up, Arthur and Hat Kid's jaws dropped, and the minions all gasped and trembled at the sight of the massive time-ticking bomb.

"We gotta defuse that bomb or else we're all gonna blow into pieces!" Arthur said. He then looked at the summoned cages that seemed to be leading up to the top of the cherry bomb and figured they could use them to reach the outhouse. "I got this," he said with a determined look.

The twelve-year-old boy ran towards the closest cage, jumping on it, and continued on from cage to cage until he was on top of the giant cherry bomb. He whacked the Toilet of Doom in its heart, causing it to fall back and land roughly on the cherry bomb. This caused the giant fruit to blow up, but thankfully the explosion was not very powerful, and it simply knocked Arthur and the outhouse away.

"Arthur!" Hat Kid shouted worriedly, watching the boy roughly land on his back. She ran to his side to check on him.

"Ow, ah... I'm fine. Good thing the explosion wasn't very strong," Arthur said, wincing slightly in pain. Hat Kid sighed in relief and helped him up on his feet.

Meanwhile, the Toilet of Doom recovered from the explosion and bounced back up. The duo noticed it was beginning to splinter as some boards on it became a bit loose.

"Looks like that toilet is nearing the end of its tether. Let's keep this up," Arthur said. Hat Kid nodded determinedly, gripping her umbrella tighter.

A furious growl came out of the Toilet of Doom. It then began jumping high and slamming back down to create shockwaves again, which the children proceeded to jump over. Suddenly, the outhouse attempted to bodyslam them, forcing the duo to roll out of the way to avoid getting squashed. Now on its back, the outhouse attempted to get back up but it seemed to be struggling. In the meantime, its door was opened and it became blue.

Seizing the opportunity, Hat Kid jumped and stomped on its heart. The outhouse roared loudly in pain, causing Hat Kid to be knocked away by the strength of the roar. The small girl coughed and waved her hand in front of her nose because of the horrible smell that came with the roar, before she got up.

The battle continued on; and after getting hit a few more times, the Toilet of Doom really looked battered and exhausted, and smoke was starting to come out of its pipe. One last hit and it will probably fall apart. In a last and desperate attempt to get rid of the duo, the outhouse used its bubble attack again. This time, it spat out more bubbles and at a faster speed. One of them _almost_ hit Arthur, but he managed to dodge it just in time. No doubt he was getting more skilled and reactive when it came to a fight. Eventually, one of the bubbles popped near Hat Kid, revealing a cherry bomb. That was it... the time to strike.

Hat Kid picked the cherry bomb up and began running towards the outhouse. The Toilet of Doom panicked and focused its attacks on her, spitting out acid bubbles at an even faster rate. However, the young alien practically danced between the bubbles and dodged them as they came. Once she was close enough, she let out a battle cry as she spinned around and threw the cherry bomb in a bowling style at the outhouse, knocking it on its back one last time.

Suddenly, the Toilet of Doom shook rapidly and a lot of smoke came out of its door and the pipe. And finally, it blew up after a few seconds, reducing it to a pile of broken boards and pipes. A high quantity of dirty, smelly water splashed the whole arena, including the two children. They gagged and grimaced in disgust as they looked at themselves, water dripping from their bodies and clothes.

"Remember when I said I'd throw a fit if the Snatcher made us clean his toilet? I think I'm about to do that now," Arthur said irritated, his eye twitching.

Meanwhile, the crowd of minions and Dwellers slowly and cautiously approached the remains of the outhouse.

"They... they actually did it! The Toilet of Doom is no more!" a minion said joyfully.

And right after he said that, the whole crowd cheered and clapped happily to celebrate the children's victory. Some of the minions delivered the Dwellers that were imprisoned inside the cages, and the latters joined the cheering.

Once again, Arthur felt a bit overwhelmed by all the cheering, but he was starting to take it slightly better than before. Maybe he really is doing good deeds after all. He and Hat Kid yelped in surprise as a few minions joyfully picked them up – not even caring that they were covered in dirty water – and began carrying them back to Subcon Village, accompanied by the rest of the crowd who cheered along the way.

While they were being carried, Arthur nervously and timidly said to Hat Kid, "Never thought I'd say this... but I guess we're heroes in a haunted forest now, right?". The small girl only shrugged and smiled happily in response.

* * *

After returning to Subcon Village, the two children were allowed to take a shower and wash their clothes inside one of the minions' house. After that, they returned outside and were warmly greeted by all the minions and the Dwellers who continued cheering for them. It just goes without saying that they were happy that the Toilet of Doom was gone for good and won't be causing any more trouble inside the forest. One of the minions then approached the duo, carrying a Time Piece in his hands.

"Thank you so much for dealing with the Toilet of Doom, newbies! Now that it's gone, we won't have to fear its destructive ways anymore!" he said happily.

"Oh, uh, don't mention it. We were just... doing our contractual obligations," Arthur said shyly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Still, you saved us all, newbies! Thank you! We found this among the remains of the outhouse. We want you to have it," the minion said, showing them the Time Piece. Wait, it was among the remains of the outhouse? This statement caused Arthur and Hat Kid to stare at the hourglass with disgusted looks. "Don't worry, we made sure to wash it before bringing it to you," the minion reassured them as if reading their thoughts. The two children sighed in relief, then Hat Kid took the Time Piece with a smile before she pocketed it.

The duo then looked to the side and saw the Snatcher approaching them with his arms crossed and a neutral expression on his face.

**"I gotta admit, you're both more useful and tougher than I thought,"** he said.

"Well, it ain't the first fight we had. Otherwise, we'd be toilet food by now," Arthur deadpanned. Hat Kid put her hands on her hips and nodded with a proud grin.

**"I can see that,"** the Snatcher said, still keeping a neutral expression. The shadow's lack of proper reaction seemed kinda strange to the duo's eyes. He didn't look happy or angry at all. They defeated the Toilet of Doom and saved his forest – that's what he wanted, right?

The Snatcher then grinned and said, **"Well, I guess that wraps up your _true last_ contract this time."** He snapped his fingers, making the contract about the Toilet of Doom inside Hat Kid's hat vanish. After that, he leaned closer to the duo and asked, **"Now I suppose you're both waiting for me to give you your souls back and let you leave, _right?_"**. Arthur almost wanted to make a sarcastic answer, but considering he already pissed the Snatcher off before and he got strangled for that, he decided against it.

"Well, that was the deal, right? We did all of your dirty work and even risked our necks for it. So yeah, we want them back and get out of here for good," Arthur said with a serious expression as he crossed his arms.

Hat Kid, on the other hand, was a bit more hesitant to leave Subcon Forest forever. Even though she would like to have her soul back and return to her spaceship, she kinda grew attached to the minions and the Dwellers who were all nice to them since day one... and the Snatcher too in a way.

Even if the soul-stealing shadow was a big jerk to them, she was still certain there was a slight bit of good in him, considering how worried he looked about his subjects when the Toilet of Doom attacked. He was just being a 'soon-deh-ray' and pretended to not care about anyone. Perhaps she could still find a way to befriend him somehow.

Plus, she wasn't sure they got all of the Time Pieces from this place yet. They had been so busy taking care of their contractual obligations, so they hadn't been able to visit every nook and cranny of the forest. Maybe they could stay just for a little longer?

She didn't get the time to voice her opinion though, since the Snatcher spoke again.

**"In that case, meet me in the arena in two hours after my minions finish cleaning it, then we'll talk about it. In the meantime..."** the Snatcher said, before snapping his fingers. Tables covered by white tablecloths with different sorts of food and drinks on them were summoned all around the village. **"Enjoy the festivities as celebration for your hard work and heroic acts! You both deserve it! After all, we'd all want your _last moments_ in Subcon Forest to be _memorable_. _Hehehehehe!_"** he added with an ominous grin, before he vanished into the ground.

While all of the minions and Dwellers cheered happily and went to the tables to get some food and drinks, Arthur and Hat Kid exchanged worried and skeptical looks. The Snatcher's behavior and the way he spoke in the last sentence sounded strange and suspicious. Is he really going to give them their souls and freedom back?

Only one way to find out... For now, all they could do is wait and enjoy the festivities while they last.

* * *

Two hours later, the festivities ended. The minions returned to their homes and Subcon Village returned to its usual, quiet state. It was also time for the two children to meet the Snatcher inside the arena. They walked across the gap on a solid board that the minions placed as a temporary bridge until a new one is built, and headed inside the arena. The place was clean and the remains of the Toilet of Doom were removed after the minions cleaned it all up. The duo looked around for any sign of the soul-stealing shadow, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is the Snatcher? He said he'd meet us here," Arthur asked puzzled, earning a confused shrug from Hat Kid. He didn't like this... Something about this meeting felt _off_ to him. The more he thought about it, the more he started to believe that the Snatcher never really had any intention of returning their souls and letting them go. Suddenly, he noticed something glowing at the other side of the arena.

"Hey, what's that over there?" the young boy asked, pointing at the strange item.

Curious, he and Hat Kid walked a bit closer, then their eyes widened as they recognized the object. It was a Time Piece. How did it get here? They didn't remember seeing it after the fight with the Toilet of Doom, and if the minions saw it they wouldn't have left it on the floor like that.

"Huh... Something doesn't feel right. Let's be careful," Arthur said in suspicion. Hat Kid nodded.

They began to approach the leftover Time Piece slowly and cautiously. When Hat Kid knelt down to grab it, it suddenly vanished out of sight.

"What?! Where did it go?" Arthur asked as he and Hat Kid formed surprised and confused looks.

**"Wait up, kids. Remember how the old contractor had his head _pop off_?"** a familiar voice ominously said from behind. The two children flinched and slowly turned around, only to be met with the Snatcher standing inside the acid pool and grinning menacingly at them. Of course, the acid didn't hurt him since he was a shadow. **"That wasn't a coincidence. It popped off the moment he stopped being useful to me. And guess who else just became _obsolete_?"** he asked, giving the duo a knowing look. Arthur and Hat Kid's faces went pale. They had a feeling they knew what he meant by that. **"That's right. _You two,_"** he answered as he pointed his two-fingered hand at them, confirming their fears.

**"Now that that possessed outhouse isn't bothering me anymore, and all those contracts of yours are tidied away... I don't need either of you around,"** the soul-stealing shadow added maliciously.

"Hey, hang on a minute! That wasn't part of the deal! You said you'd return our souls and let us go if we did all your dirty work!" Arthur reminded him angrily, pointing his finger at him.

**"I said we'd _talk_ about it, and that's what we're doing right now... And I say you're not leaving my forest alive,"** the Snatcher said with a sinister grin, sending a chill down the duo's spines. **"Besides, you didn't think I was gonna let you keep all these Time Pieces, did you? They fell in _my_ forest, kids! They belong to _ME_,"** he added firmly.

While Hat Kid formed a scared expression on her face, Arthur gritted his teeth and tightened his fists in anger. He knew it! He knew they couldn't trust the Snatcher to keep his word! Yet another promise breaker. Though, Arthur wasn't surprised... The Snatcher is an evil shadow after all. Of course he wouldn't honor his part of the deal and would try to get rid of them eventually.

Without a warning, the Snatcher suddenly reached his hands forward and snatched both of the duo's hats from their heads to take their abilities away. Arthur and Hat Kid gasped and touched the top of their heads frantically, suddenly feeling naked without their hats. The soul-stealing shadow then placed Hat Kid's top hat on his head and Arthur's cowboy hat on top of it, before giving the two children a smug grin.

Arthur then felt his eye twitch as his anger built within him. Did that ghost just... **_STEAL_** HIS COWBOY HAT?! The very same one that his mom gifted him when he turned seven, and the **ONLY** reminder he had of her?! Okay, that's **_IT_**! This time, he had more than enough! Shadow or not, he's gonna wipe that dumb grin off his ghostly face for good!

Suddenly, purple shadow magic generated from the Snatcher's hands, and soon the whole place was plunged into darkness. The only thing Arthur and Hat Kid could see was the Snatcher's large golden grin taunting them in the dark.

**"Time you saw what I'm _really_ capable of, kids. Say goodbye to those little heads of yours!"** the soul-stealing shadow said maliciously.

"You want our heads, do you? Then come get them, **_noodle!_**" Arthur taunted him angrily, showing no fear to the shadow. He pulled out his crowbar, while Hat Kid pulled out her umbrella.

The Snatcher growled at the insult and angrily yelled, **"DON'T CALL ME 'NOODLE'!"**, his voice echoing.

In a blink of an eye, the darkness dissipated and the arena was surrounded by shadow magic, trapping the three inside. Minions were also gathered on the sidelines, eager to watch the fight between their boss and his former contractors.

The Snatcher attacked first, firing purple magic beams from beneath the two children's feet. Arthur and Hat Kid anticipated the move and leaped out of the way of each blast, avoiding the beams. Then, the soul-stealing shadow summoned his minions in the arena and began spinning them around, forcing the two children to jump over them to avoid getting hit.

Remembering the Badge Seller's words about the Snatcher's weakness, the duo observed the shadow patiently and waited for him to turn blue in order to strike. However, as if reading their minds, the Snatcher turned to them and grinned tauntingly.

**"You're probably both waiting for me to turn blue, aren't you?"** he asked smugly. Arthur and Hat Kid raised an eyebrow in confusion. **"Sorry kiddos, blue doesn't suit me. And I guess that makes me _invincible_, huh? That's _too bad!_ _HA HA HA HA HA HA!_"** he said, laughing evilly. Peck! He figured out their tactic. How are they going to hit him if he won't turn blue? Not to mention that they can't use any of their abilities without their hats. This fight was clearly unfair.

With a snap of his fingers, the Snatcher switched Hat Kid's top hat with her Brewing Hat and summoned five blue potion vials that orbited around him.

**"Let's try some of these!"** he said with an evil grin. Then, with a motion of his hands, he began throwing each potion at the two children. Arthur and Hat Kid ran out of the way as the potions exploded after touching the ground. **"Not enough? Let's try 1,000!"** he said gleefully. The duo's jaws dropped as the Snatcher summoned a large cloud of blue potions above the arena.

"Peck, peck, peck, peck, peck, PECK!" Arthur swore repeatedly while he and Hat Kid ran around the arena with their arms covering their heads, as a rain of blue potions came down on them.

And unfortunately, they both got hit by some of the blue potions, causing them to yelp in pain and stumble on the ground. After quickly recovering from the hits, they got up as they hissed in pain under the satisfied grin of the Snatcher.

**"Too many, eh? Let's try just one for each of you,"** the soul-stealing shadow said mockingly. True to his word, he summoned only two potions – one for each of the duo. As he threw the potions at them, Arthur and Hat Kid simply stepped out of the way and gave him unamused looks. However, the Snatcher stopped the potions mid-air before they could hit the ground.

**"Wait, hold on. Those ones should _totally_ have hit you both!"** he said, placing his hand on his chin in a fake thinking manner. With a motion of his hand, he hovered the potions above the children's head – one above Arthur's head, and the other above Hat Kid's head. **"Come on, give them a chance!"** he insisted with a mischievous grin.

The two children ran away to avoid the potions, but to their shock, they kept following each movements they made while still floating above their heads. Suddenly, the potions fell down, but the two children rolled out of the way before they could hit them, and the vials exploded on impact.

**"You're both kinda rude, aren't you?"** the Snatcher pouted, crossing his arms. Arthur and Hat Kid glared at him. This ghost was clearly messing with them.

"You think you're funny, Snatcher? Stop playing that little game of yours now!" Arthur hissed angrily.

**"What are you gonna do about it, kiddo? Hit me with your crowbar? Oh wait, you _can't_!"** the Snatcher taunted him with a smug grin. Arthur huffed as he rolled his eyes.

"What? You're acting like the class clown now?" the young boy snarked with an unamused look.

**"Jokes on you, kiddo. You're the ones providing me the entertainment here!"** the soul-stealing shadow retorted smugly.

He then summoned his minions back in the arena and spinned them around. While he was doing that, he also fired magic beams under the duo's feet. It was getting more intense for Arthur and Hat Kid who were forced to jump over the minions and avoid the beams at the same time. Thankfully, they managed to avoid them all.

Suddenly, the Snatcher disappeared into the acid pool and reappeared all around the arena as multiple shadow clones of Arthur and Hat Kid. They all had dorky golden eyes and they made a silly dance as they tauntingly said, **"This is how you two look like! You're idiots!"**. While Hat Kid wasn't really affected by the taunts, these words hit Arthur right where it hurts...

_"Hey, freak! Look at my drawing over here: it's you! You look like a monkey! Haha!"_

Arthur felt tears forming in his eyes at the sudden flashback. However, he managed to stop them from coming out. He gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his crowbar. In a fit of sudden rage, the young boy screamed and swung his crowbar at the clones, but the latters jumped back before he could hit them. Then, all of the clones vanished and the Snatcher emerged from the acid pool.

**"What's wrong, kid? Did I hit a nerve? Whoops!"** the soul-stealing shadow said to Arthur mockingly. The twelve-year-old boy's breath was slow and loud as he glared angrily at the Snatcher. He was in an _uncontrollable rage_ right now.

"I hope your minions are good dentists, 'cause I'm gonna **_knock_** those fangs outta your mouth! We'll see if you're still laughing after that," Arthur shouted in pure rage. Hat Kid flinched a little at his outburst. She hadn't seen him look so mad since the recording of 'Train Rush' after the Conductor tricked them into activating a bomb on his train and forced them to go through many hazards to defuse it for his movie. Though, hearing the Snatcher taunt Arthur made the small girl really angry and she glared at the shadow. _No one_ ever treats her friend like that and gets away with it without a beating!

**"HA HA HA HA HA HA! Then, go on and try, kiddo!"** the Snatcher taunted smugly.

He summoned another huge amount of potions to rain down on the duo. Once again, the two children were unable to dodge them all. They yelled in pain and fell on the ground as they got hit. They tried to get up, but they struggled to do so. They were getting weaker and more tired from the fight. Their slight hope of winning the battle was starting to fade away. Could this be truly the end after all of this?

From the sidelines, one of the minions watching the fight said, "The newbies are exhausted. Looks like they're about to lose."

"That's a shame. I kinda liked them," another one said sadly.

"Yeah, me too," the former answered sadly.

The Snatcher grinned evilly as he saw a chance to eliminate his former contractors for good. He decided to start off with Arthur, since he constantly kept defying him and insulting him during their contractual obligations.

As she lifted her head up, Hat Kid's eyes widened as she spotted a potion on the ground. Looks like it was the only one that didn't break on impact. ...Wait, hang on a second... the potion is blue, and the Snatcher is only vulnerable when he's blue. Hat Kid smirked. That gives her an idea. She looked at the Snatcher, and she gasped when she saw he was leaning over Arthur who still struggled to get up. He was about to kill him! She had to act quick! Pushing with all her strength, she managed to get up on her feet. She then picked up the still-intact blue potion and glared at the Snatcher. She knew what she had to do now...

**"Looks like you're on your last legs, kiddo,"** the Snatcher said mockingly, watching Arthur struggle to get up. The young boy rolled on his back to look up at the shadow dead in the eye.

"Go to hell, noodle..." Arthur weakly said, insulting him once more.

**"Arrogant to the end. Why am I not surprised?"** the Snatcher growled angrily. He then shrugged and said with an evil smirk, **"Oh well! Say goodbye, kid!"**. He then raised his clawed hand up, ready to strike the boy down. Arthur closed his eyes and raised his arms above himself protectively, bracing himself for the incoming blow.

However, just before he could kill the young boy, the Snatcher yelped as he felt something hit him in the back and shatter on impact. The whole crowd of minions gasped dramatically. The soul-stealing shadow turned around to see the culprit who was none other than Hat Kid.

"Hehehe," the small girl snickered with an evil grin as she brushed off her hands. The Snatcher glared at her before looking down at himself, his eyes widening as he did. He was all covered in blue potion now.

He gave Hat Kid a shocked look and asked, **"Did you just color me blue with my own attack?"**. Hat Kid put her hands behind her back and nodded at him with a smug look. **"This can't count, right? Surely this doesn't count?"** he asked, slightly panicking.

"Heh... What's wrong, _noodle_? I thought you said blue didn't suit you," Arthur asked tauntingly as he slowly got up to his feet and patted the dust off of himself.

"Nah-nah-nah-na-nah~!" Hat Kid chanted mockingly, waving her hands at each side of her head and sticking her tongue out at the shadow.

For once, the Snatcher was at a complete loss of words. He couldn't believe he got outsmarted by a couple of kids who used his own attack against him to make him vulnerable. His eye twitched as his anger built within him. His usual golden grin was replaced by a red glowing scowl as a dark aura formed around him.

_**"That does it, time to DIE,"**_the Snatcher shouted furiously with a deeper and darker voice, causing the minions around the arena to tremble in fear at his tone. Arthur and Hat Kid both gulped nervously. This time, they really pissed him off...

Now in a furious state, the soul-stealing shadow fired more magic beams from beneath the children's feet and at a faster pace. He even included a new move, which was to spin the beams around in the arena before firing them from the ground. Arthur and Hat Kid did their best to dodge the incoming beams. They were galvanized and determined to take the Snatcher down now that he was vulnerable.

Although, they couldn't hit him while he was still in the acid pond, and they couldn't use the lantern to their advantage either since their Hookshot abilities were taken away when the soul-stealing shadow stole their hats. Therefore, they had to wait for him to get out of the pond to hit him. The Snatcher is in an angry state, chances are he will make mistakes when trying to throw everything he got at them. They just had to keep dodging until an opportunity presents itself.

Eventually, the Snatcher had enough and sunk into the acid pool before reemerging outside of it, causing a small tremor and creating a shockwave. The two children didn't expect that and stumbled because of the tremor. However, they reacted quickly and got up before jumping over the incoming shockwave. The soul-stealing shadow repeated his attack multiple times, sinking into the ground and coming out of it at another spot of the arena. Sure enough, the duo made sure to jump at the right time.

The Snatcher then reemerged from the ground, a bit too close to the children as he growled angrily at them. Sensing an opportunity, Hat Kid whacked him with her umbrella. The soul-stealing shadow yelped in pain, and sunk into the ground before reappearing inside the acid pool.

Growling, the Snatcher decided to try something else. He plunged the whole place into darkness, then he smirked and winked with his right eye. Suddenly, two Snatchers appeared at both sides of Hat Kid, grinning menacingly at her. The young alien was confused as she glanced between the two shadows. Which one should she hit?

She shrugged and hit the one on her right with her umbrella. However, to her shock, it did nothing to him. She then screamed in pain as she felt something scratch her violently in the back, making her fall forward on the ground. She could hear the Snatcher laugh evilly as the darkness dissipated from the area. As she looked up, her jaw dropped as she saw a cutout of the Snatcher fall backward on the ground and vanish out of sight. She then realized that the Snatcher she tried to hit was just a decoy. Furious that she got tricked, Hat Kid got up and readied herself for the soul-stealing shadow's next move. Arthur also witnessed his friend getting hurt and he grew even more furious than he was already.

The Snatcher reappeared in the pond and used his magic beam attacks again, which the children proceeded to dodge. Neither sides wanted to back down from the fight, and they kept throwing everything they got at each others. Eventually, the Snatcher plunged the arena into darkness again and he winked with his left eye. Then, two Snatchers appeared at both sides of Arthur.

As the young boy tried to figure out which Snatcher was real, he then realized something. Depending on which eye he winks with, the real Snatcher will be on the same side relative to the victim's position. Therefore, should the Snatcher wink with his right eye, he will be on the left, and vice versa. The soul-stealing shadow just winked with his left eye, which means he is... on the right!

Arthur swung his crowbar at the Snatcher on his right, and the latter yelped at the sudden hit. Darkness dissipated once again, and Arthur smirked in satisfaction as he saw the Snatcher rub his cheek where he got hit. The soul-stealing shadow snarled angrily and returned in the pool.

The battle continued on for a while with the Snatcher using his magic beams, shockwaves, and decoy attacks, while the two children did their best to dodge them all and hit the soul-stealing shadow whenever they could. Eventually, both parties started to grow weaker and tired from the fight. It was only a matter of time before it ends with only a sole winner: either the duo or the Snatcher.

In a last attempt to get rid of his former contractors, the Snatcher did his shockwave attack, coming out of more spots to create more shockwaves; but the two children dodged them all, although with a bit of struggle due to fatigue. He reemerged close to Hat Kid, and the latter attempted to whack him with her umbrella.

However, the Snatcher anticipated that and disappeared into the ground, much to Hat Kid's confusion and panic. He then reappeared behind her and grinned evilly as he raised both of his clawed hands, ready to strike the small girl down while her back was turned. Unfortunately for the shadow, Arthur noticed that. He gasped, then he gritted his teeth and readied his crowbar.

"Oh no, you _**DON'T!**_" the young boy shouted angrily, before throwing his crowbar at the shadow as hard as he could. The Snatcher didn't expect that and took the crowbar right in the face. The soul-stealing shadow yelled out in pain and fell back, defeated.

Suddenly, a flash of white occured, forcing Arthur and Hat Kid to cover their eyes with their arms. After it went away, the duo found themselves alone in a dark abyss, much to their confusion. Where were they? Did they do it? Did they defeat the Snatcher? As they looked down, they both found their hats, as well as Arthur's crowbar, lying at their feet. They eagerly proceeded to pick them up and place their respective hats back on their heads.

As they looked around, they spotted the faint golden glow of the Snatcher's face a bit far away from them. He was hunched over on his hands, painting and appearing in great pain. Gripping their respective weapons and with a glare, Arthur and Hat Kid began to walk towards him.

**"You're both such disrespectful young kids..."** the Snatcher said weakly in between huffs as the two children continued to approach him.

"You okay, Snatcher? You look like you just ran a marathon, or in your case... took a _real beating_," Arthur joked with a satisfied grin, making Hat Kid grin as well.

**"Very funny, kid..."** the Snatcher said sarcastically with a growl. He huffed and weakly said, **"I feel... so weak..."**

The two children only kept walking towards him.

**"Please... have mercy..."** he pleaded desperately.

The duo ignored his pleas, and only continued approaching him. However, they didn't notice the small mischievous smirk slowly creeping up on the shadow's face.

**"Please... HAVE A _SEAT_!"** he yelled out as he unexpectedly lunged forward and got right in front of the two children's face with an evil grin.

"WHOA!" Arthur and Hat Kid both yelped in surprise at the sudden jumpscare. They dropped their weapons and fell backward as a bench appeared underneath them, making them sit on it.

**"All these Time Pieces landed in MY forest. They are _MY_ property,"** the Snatcher shouted angrily and firmly. He then snapped his fingers, and a new contract appeared before the duo. **"So, let's make a deal, kids. You both get out of my forest, and we never see you again. How's that sound for a deal?"** he asked with a hopeful smile, eager to kick the children out of his forest for good. After losing against them and being humiliated in front of his minions, the soul-stealing shadow wanted nothing more but to send these kids on their merry way and get them off his back for good.

As much as he wanted to leave Subcon Forest for good after everything that happened, Arthur didn't approve this new deal for a very good reason.

"Hey, not so fast, noodle. These Time Pieces belong to **us**. Well... to _her_, I mean," the twelve-year-old boy said, correcting himself at the end as he motioned his head to Hat Kid. "We came to Subcon Forest to get them back, and as much I wanna get out of this hellhole after all the tricks you pulled on us, we're **NOT** leaving without the Time Pieces," he argued with a serious look, crossing his arms. Hat Kid crossed her arms and nodded as she looked at the Snatcher dead serious. The soul-stealing shadow seemed really displeased by the answer.

**"Not a fan? _Too bad!_ You don't make the calls here,"** the Snatcher said firmly. He then said, **"Here, I'll even make it easier for you!"**, before stamping the contract prematurely in hope to convince the duo to sign it. **"Now all that's left is for you two to sign it!"** he said, his tone sounding desperate.

The two children read the contract, and everything in it was telling them to 'get out'. The title said 'GET OUT', the objectives were 'Get Out. Just Get Out,' the two pictures both showed the Snatcher with an angry frown carrying a sign saying 'GET OUT', the available parts of the forest were 'None of it. Get Out,' and lastly, instead of saying that their souls will be kept hostage, it was replaced by 'Please **take all of your junk** and leave.'

Arthur sighed in defeat and said to Hat Kid, "I don't think we got much of a choice, Hat Kid." The purple-hatted girl sighed and nodded in defeat. The young boy looked at the Snatcher and said, "Fine. We'll sign it." The soul-stealing shadow grinned and crossed his arms smugly, happy that he still got the last word in this.

Arthur signed his name on the contract, before giving the quill to Hat Kid. She sadly took it and began to sign the contract. However, after she wrote the first letter of her name, she stopped as she realized something... The Snatcher already stamped the contract, right? Therefore, he already gave his agreement to do whatever is written on it. A mischievous smile formed on Hat Kid's face as she had an idea that could allow her to get the remaining Time Pieces back and get something else she wanted at the same time.

To Arthur and the Snatcher's shock, she began changing the terms of the contract. She scribbled the title and wrote 'STAY AND HAVE FUN' accompanied by three little stars, replaced the objectives with 'Be Nice', drew a happy face over the Snatcher's angry frown and replaced the words on the sign with 'STAY' on both pictures. On the accessible parts of the forest's section, she scribbled on 'None of It. Get Out,' and wrote 'All of It' instead. And finally, she scribbled the words 'take all of your junk and leave', and replaced them with 'Be my BFF' and added a heart next to it, before she finished signing her name on the contract.

After she was done, Hat Kid crossed her arms and formed a smug look on her face, while Arthur and the Snatcher stared at her dumbfounded.

"Are you crazy? You should've changed the contract so that the Snatcher was forced to return the rest of the Time Pieces to us, not make us stay in this hellhole!" Arthur whispered to Hat Kid, looking at her as if she was crazy.

The small girl whispered in his ear to tell him that the Snatcher might just need a friend. Arthur raised an eyebrow at her in total confusion as his brain was comically doing maths after hearing what she just said. He then shook his head and sighed in defeat. Whatever, he gives up. He is done trying to question her logic.

Meanwhile, the Snatcher's eye twitched and his mouth was wide open, still dumbfounded that Hat Kid just changed the contract on him. He mentally facepalmed and cursed himself for stamping the contract too soon.

**"... You understand that's not how contracts work, right? I'm giving you a chance to scram, kid! There's no catches or clauses this time!"** the soul-stealing shadow said nervously, trying to get Hat Kid to change her mind. However, the young alien's composure remained unmoved as she continued to stare at him with a smug look. Sweat began to drip from the Snatcher's forehead. He gave Arthur a pleading look, desperately asking him for some help.

"Don't look at me like that. You got yourself into this mess, you try to get out of it on your own," the young boy said firmly, his arms crossed. He had to admit, it was funny to watch the Snatcher desperately and nervously trying so hard to make Hat Kid leave. It was almost like he was _afraid_ of her. Kinda ironic for an evil shadow that likes to scare people and take their souls away. The Snatcher gave the boy an annoyed look, before looking back at Hat Kid nervously.

**"L-look, wha... what if I gave you your souls back, will that make you leave?"** the soul-stealing shadow asked in a desperate tone, catching the interest of the duo.

Before any of them could answer, the Snatcher snapped his fingers. The souls of Arthur and Hat Kid appeared above them, and floated back down inside their respective bodies. The two children sighed, feeling relieved, energised, and Arthur felt the usual amount of empty – which was still a whole lot. It felt good to have their souls back. However, despite that, none of them moved or spoke a word. They still wanted the rest of the Time Pieces, and Hat Kid still wanted to be able to come back in Subcon Forest in the future and become the Snatcher's BFF.

**"Yes? No? Hello? Are you there? Why aren't you saying anything?"** the Snatcher asked, feeling uneasy by the lack of response from the duo. Arthur and Hat Kid remained silent nonetheless. They had a staring contest with the Snatcher for a few moments, before the latter ended it.

**"... You're quite the characters, aren't you. And tough negotiators,"** he remarked. He sighed in defeat and said, **"Fine, I'll sweeten the deal for you."** He snapped his fingers and a Time Piece appeared, floating at his side. **"Here, take my last Time Piece. If I continue to see you two around my forest after this, I'll be _very_ disappointed!"** he said unamused.

With a victorious and cheerful smile, Hat Kid hopped from the bench and joyfully ran to the Time Piece, before grabbing it.

"Thanks, BFF!" she said with a giggle, making the Snatcher cringe at the name.

While Hat Kid was examining the Time Piece, the soul-stealing shadow discreetly floated to Arthur's side and asked him in a whisper, **"Is she always like this?"**, while staring at the girl.

"Always. But I'm used to it by now," Arthur whispered with a shrug. The Snatcher nodded in understanding. The young boy hopped from the bench and said, "Well, I guess we're off then. Not a moment too soon...", before joining Hat Kid at her side. "Let's get out of here," he said to her. The purple-hatted girl nodded and grabbed Arthur's hand, ready to send them both back to the spaceship.

"Bye, BFF!" Hat Kid said to the Snatcher happily.

**"I'm NOT your BFF!"** the soul-stealing shadow insisted angrily, crossing his arms. Hat Kid simply giggled, while Arthur rolled his eyes.

After that, Hat Kid raised the Time Piece up as it glowed brighter, confirming that it worked again. Then, the two children flew off to the sky, returning on the spaceship.

**"Kids..."** the Snatcher muttered in annoyance as he shook his head. This experience took away any further desire to have kids sign contracts from him in the future. He then teleported back to Subcon Forest to read a book, and hopefully forget that any of this ever happened.

* * *

**A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you liked this chapter full of action! I gotta admit, I didn't expect to write both of the Toilet of Doom's Boss Fight and the Snatcher's one into the same chapter. However, when I finished the first fight, I noticed it was too short for a single chapter. Therefore, I decided to include them both. That's good. At least, I got the Snatcher's Boss Fight out of the way now.**

**Don't worry though, Subcon Forest's chapter section is not done yet. There are still the Time Rifts to take care of, and that will be in the next chapter. And after that, heh... guess what, guys. It'll be time to reveal Arthur's past! Indeed, Arthur will finally reveal his origins and what he went through in the past to Hat Kid. Get ready for a lot of emotions and dark stuff when the time will come. And after that, we'll be moving on to Alpine Skyline. Not the most interesting chapter, but eh, the duo have to get through that part anyway.**

**Anyway, time to answer a few reviews!**

_**To Nothosaurus:**_** Yeah, the Snatcher had enough of Arthur constantly insulting him and defying him, so he just snapped and strangled him. Yikes!**

_**To HexoSpikeZ:**_** Actually, the Snatcher didn't make the nightmare. It was just Arthur's mind that created the nightmare, based on his traumatic experiences from the past and inside Queen Vanessa's Manor. But yeah, it was freaky. ^^; Thankfully, no serious injuries occured in this chapters. Only minor ones.**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Thank you. For now, I haven't planned for more appearances in the story for Queen Vanessa other than the Time Rift, but who knows, maybe an idea might cross my mind and I'll write it down. I like both fights as well, especially the music for the Toilet of Doom's Boss Fight. Anyway, I already know what happens when you hit the Emperess in the Jewelry Store (Yikes!). I also tested the noose's supposed insta-kill, but after waiting for a while, it still didn't kill me. How long do you have to stay on the noose for it to kill you?**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Yup, unexpectedly wrote both of them in one chapter (WOW! Emote)! Yeah, this nightmare sure left Arthur traumatized on the moment. Anyway, thank you!**

_**To Typeunmasked:**_** Nice! XD**

_**To Rub37:**_** Yeah... I honestly think the most fit punishment for someone like Arthur's dad would be for him to end up all alone with nothing but his own thoughts and drinks to keep him company. No one likes ending up alone: that's one of our biggest fears. Anyway, you got both fights served on a silver plate here. ;P**

**All right! That's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	34. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"Where were you both?!"

This was the first thing the two children heard when they returned on the spaceship after winning the fight against the Snatcher, getting their souls and the Time Pieces back, and earning their freedom. To the duo's annoyance – mostly Arthur's – it was none other than the Mafia Boss.

"Oh please, not him again..." Arthur muttered in exasperation.

"I've been stuck up here for **two days** because this annoying robot keeps chasing me around!" the jarred crime lord shouted angrily. Indeed, he was standing on top of the TV, and Rumbi was waiting in front of it, staring at him with an angry expression on its LED screen.

"Yeah, it knows when someone is being a nuisance here," Arthur snarked with a smug smirk.

The Mafia Boss growled and said, "Whatever! Can you get this robot away from me already?!".

"You forgot to say the magic word, jar-stache," Arthur said, crossing his arms. Hat Kid crossed her arms and nodded with an unamused look.

"The 'magic word'?! What kind of childish nonsense is that?!" the Mafia Boss asked, confused and irritated.

"The magic word. You know, the one that starts with a P, ends up with an E, contains six letters, writes itself P-L-E-A-S-E, and people use it as a polite form when asking for something," Arthur said mockingly, as if he was talking to a kindergarten child. The Mafia Boss stared at him in confusion, as his liquefied brain was comically doing maths as if trying to find an answer to an unsolvable problem.

The twelve-year-old boy sighed in annoyance and said, "The word 'please', dumbbell.".

"What?! No, I'm not using any forms of politeness with you two! You don't deserve it!" the Mafia Boss said stubbornly and angrily.

"Then stay perched on that TV like a stranded idiot," Arthur hissed. "Let's go, Hat Kid." He made a motion with his head to tell Hat Kid they should leave the Mafia Boss stranded on the TV. The duo began to walk away as the Mafia Boss began to panic.

"No wait – Ugh! FINE! Can you ask that robot to move along... _please_?" the jarred crime lord relucantly asked with an exasperated sigh, prompting the two children to turn around to face him again. Hat Kid smirked teasingly and nodded. She then made a gesture to Rumbi to tell it to get back to cleaning the main room. The vaccuum cleaner robot obeyed, making an happy face, and went back to its regular cleaning job.

"See? That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hmph! Whatever!" the Mafia Boss huffed angrily, hopping down from the TV and onto the ground. "So where have you two been?"

"Why do you ask?" Arthur asked as he crossed his arms.

"Out of simple curiosity, boy. You and your annoying friend didn't even come back for the night," the Mafia Boss explained, making a movement with his body jar to motion a shrug.

Arthur rolled his eyes and said, "To Subcon Forest to find more Time Pieces." The Mafia Boss gasped upon hearing this.

"Subcon Forest?! Some of my men went there and never came back! Did you see them?" the jarred crime lord asked worriedly, much to the children's surprise. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other uncomfortably. He must be asking about the ones they saw in Queen Vanessa's manor, and probably the one in Subcon Village that got sucked inside a painting and burned in the Fire Spirits' bonfire.

"Yeah... Actually, uhh... they're dead," Arthur awkwardly said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"...What?" the Mafia Boss asked, visibly shocked and almost in disbelief.

"They went inside a manor where a creepy, old lady with nasty powers lives. Most of them were changed into ice. We met one who was still alive when we arrived, but the lady got him eventually," the young boy explained. He made sure not to mention the Mafia man that ended up inside a painting, since this one was Hat Kid's fault.

The Mafia Boss sighed sadly and said, "I knew there was something very wrong about this forest the moment I set my eyes on it...". Arthur and Hat Kid were surprised to hear him sound so sad upon learning his men's fate. It was almost like he cared about them. ...Does he? The jarred crime lord then noticed the way the two children were looking at him and he angrily shouted, "WHAT ARE YOU TWO LOOKING AT?!", causing them to flinch.

"Uhh, nothing," Arthur lied, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Hat Kid put her hands behind her back and nodded with a nervous grin.

"Hmpf!" the Mafia Boss huffed, before hopping away to get some space. The duo watched him leave dumbfounded and puzzled. The way he reacted after learning his men's death... Is it possible that he cares about his men? It almost sounded hard to believe coming from the usually commanding and short-tempered Boss of the Mafia. Maybe there's more to him than meets the eye. Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other curiously before shrugging, deciding to not dwell on it.

They proceeded to put all of the Time Pieces they found in Subcon Forest back in the vault. Overall, that was 25 Times Pieces out of 56 they had retrieved so far. With this amount, Hat Kid was able to bring power back to the lift leading up to the attic of her spaceship. And with the Dweller's Mask, she was able to go through the purple wall blocking the access to her laboratory and unlock the access to the storage room. Now almost everything in the spaceship was accessible and functional, except for the dryer that requires at least 35 Time Pieces to work.

Aside from that, Arthur was surprised to see a laboratory in Hat Kid's spaceship. When asking her why she would need a lab and about the safety of its usage, the purple-hatted girl told him it was to test the chemical reactions of materials and objects she finds on different planets she explores. When it comes to safety, she just crosses her fingers and hopes the reactions won't cause any damages to her ship. This caused the young boy to grimace and question his own safety on this spaceship. Hopefully, Hat Kid won't get the idea of mixing two chemicals that could potentially blow the whole ship up and end their lives.

After that, Hat Kid reconstituted the relic with the UFO and the three cow toys they found in Subcon Forest. When seeing the result, Hat Kid felt extremely offended and stomped her foot on the floor angrily. The relic was literally a small floating UFO sucking up cow toys. So stereotypical and insulting! She angrily named the relic 'Mockery Of Off-Planet Life' and wrote in the description: 'What the heck! Spaceships don't look like that! Where's the wood? Why is it sucking up cows? This is insulting! I'm gonna sue!'.

Arthur couldn't help but laugh after reading this, though he quickly stopped after seeing the nasty look that Hat Kid gave him. He made a mental note that the small girl didn't like stereotypes made on aliens, and therefore he should avoid talking about them. The last thing he wanted was a whack from Hat Kid's umbrella across the face.

Suddenly, both children yawned, exhausted by the two fights they had in the same day. Hat Kid went to her bedroom and Arthur to his pillow bed in the main room, and they both flopped on their respective beds, immediately falling asleep.

* * *

**"Alert. Time Rifts detected."**

Hat Kid yelped in surprise and fell off the bed after hearing the sudden alarm. She landed face first on the floor and groaned tiredly. She slowly got up and yawned, stretching her arms. Stupid alarm, she should really adjust it to make it less loud- She then gasped. Time Rifts again?! She quickly placed her hat back on her head and ran to the main room.

When she arrived, Arthur was already awake, standing next to the computer.

"I guess duty calls, Hat Kid. Come on, let's see where them time rifts are," he said with a blank expression. Hat Kid nodded and walked up to the computer. However, when she did, she noticed the bags under Arthur's eyes seemed bigger as if he barely slept at all, causing her to give the boy a concerned look.

"What?" the young boy asked in a somewhat annoyed tone, noticing the look she was giving him. Hat Kid tapped under her eyelid with her finger and pointed at him with her other hand to tell him what she meant. He sighed and said, "I'm fine. I just wasn't feeling sleepy enough, that's all."

It was a lie. The reason he looked tired and was up early was because he had another nightmare. This one was worse than the previous one. Not only Queen Vanessa was in it, but the Snatcher too. In his nightmare, the latter was very mad at him because he and Hat Kid defeated him in a fight and also humiliated in front of his minions. He was alongside Queen Vanessa, yelling various insults at the boy, before both of their faces morphed into his father's. Not only that but there were also shadow clones of all of the kids who made fun of him back in his home world, including one who was his arch-nemesis in school. The nightmare ended with everyone lunging at him to kill him, before Arthur woke up in a panting and sweating mess.

Though, he didn't want to tell Hat Kid about it because he didn't want to worry her. She had better things to deal with right now, especially with the time rifts that just appeared out of the blue.

However, Hat Kid frowned, clearly not believing him. Truth to be told, she was getting tired of him lying to her and saying he was 'fine'. She would have pushed the topic forward, but she had to deal with the time rifts first. Questions will have to wait for the time being.

"That's **IT**! I've had more than enough now!" the familiar angry voice of the Mafia Boss was suddenly heard in the room.

Arthur groaned in annoyance and asked, "What now?", turning to the jarred crime lord who came hopping from the machine room and glared up at the duo.

"I was in the middle of my _peaceful_ slumber when this **annoying** alarm of yours woke me up!" the Mafia Boss complained angrily.

"Oh, boohoo to you, jar-stache," Arthur mocked, rolling his eyes.

"Hey! My sleep is sacred, boy!" the Mafia Boss retorted, hopping up and down in anger.

Arthur snorted and sarcastically asked, "What? You want a soundproof room with a fancy bed, royal sheets, and shiny gold surrounding it, maybe?".

"I want the _peace and quiet_! That's what I require!" the Mafia Boss said angrily. "But I'm done putting up with you both! I'm going back to Mafia Town! My men may not be the smartest, but at least they know when I need the quiet!"

"Fine then, get outta here! That'll do us a favor," Arthur said angrily, pointing his finger at the hatch.

"I will! I need a vacation anyway," the Mafia Boss said angrily. "But mark my words, the moment I find a new body, I'll come back to get my revenge on you two and that mustached pest. Then I'll- AHH!". His sentence was interrupted when Rumbi came and purposely bumped into him, causing him to fall on his side. The jarred crime lord yelled out various insults and demanded to be put back up as his body jar rolled around the place, while Arthur and Hat Kid both laughed.

"See you around, jar-stache," the twelve-year-old boy said with a snicker.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" the Mafia Boss shouted as he unintentionally and comically rolled towards the machine room. The door automatically opened and closed behind him after he rolled through it. Rumbi formed an expression on its LED face looking like it was blowing a raspberry, before going back to cleaning the room.

"Heh. Alright, let's get back to business," Arthur suggested.

Hat Kid nodded as she wiped a tear off her eye after she finished laughing. She then searched informations about the time rifts on the computer and got the results within a few seconds. The duo's eyes widened. There was _three_ time rifts to deal with now.

"Three time rifts?! Oh hell, I hope they're all just blue ones," Arthur said with a worried look.

_Rift Status: **Purple.**_

_Localization: Subcon Forest._

"Peck," he swore under his breath. He just jinxed it.

The picture showed the rift in front of a strange structure in the middle of a frozen water geyser with giant shards of ice, pieces of stone walls, and gears floating in the air.

Now, the second time rift.

_Rift Status: Blue._

_Localization: Subcon Forest._

This time rift appeared to be on top of a giant sewer pipe filled with the same purple water from the swamp, and a cut tree trunk serving as a bridge on the pipe.

And finally, the last one.

_Rift Status: Blue._

_Localization: Subcon Forest._

It appeared to be on top of the highest point of a wall made of stone and wooden planks.

"Well, at least there's only one purple rift to deal with," Arthur stated. He then looked at the localization of the rifts and he groaned in frustration. "Why did it have to be Subcon Forest of all places?" he muttered. Hat Kid, on the other hand, was excited to go back there, since she'll get to say hi to the Snatcher who contractually became their BFF.

Arthur sighed and said, "Well, let's go deal with these time rifts, I guess. The sooner the better."

With that said, the two children headed for the hatch, opening it, and jumped off to the planet. They landed in the clearing in front of the Snatcher's tree in Subcon Forest.

"Okay, let's try to find the time ri-" Arthur began to say, but he stopped when he noticed Hat Kid was no longer at his side. "Hat Kid?". He looked around and spotted her running up the vine towards the Snatcher's tree. "What the hell is she doing now?" he asked to himself, irritated, before running after her.

Hat Kid stopped at the entrance of the tree and smiled happily upon seeing the Snatcher sitting in his armchair and reading a book. Arthur soon joined her side.

"Hi, BFF!" she said cheerfully as she waved her hand at the soul-stealing shadow.

_'Oh my god...'_ Arthur thought, putting his hand on his face in annoyance. Seriously, why does she insist on being the Snatcher's 'BFF'? He literally tried to _kill them _both and with no regrets, after forcing them to do his bidding! Plus, the shadow made it clear he didn't want them around and didn't want to be their 'friend'. The young boy really doen't understand her logic sometimes...

The Snatcher looked up from his book in surprise and his eyes landed on the two children, causing him to frown and sigh in annoyance.

**"You two again?"** he asked in an irritated tone.

"Good to see you too, Snatcher," Arthur grumbled sarcastically.

**"I thought I made myself pretty clear last time, kiddos,"** the Snatcher said angrily. **"We're _done_. _Finished_. Our working relationship is over. I'm not wasting any more clerical supplies on either of you!"**. He then leaned closer and shouted with an angry scowl, **"Now get the _heck_ out of my forest!"**.

"Calm down, Snatcher. We're just here to retrieve something we've lost. We don't plan on staying for long," Arthur said. "Well, at least I don't," he added, looking at Hat Kid with an unamused expression. The purple-hatted girl crossed her arms and pouted at him.

The Snatcher sighed and said, **"Fine. Go get the thing you lost, then get. Out."**. Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you say, noodle- Ow!" the young boy's sentence was cut short when Hat Kid elbowed him in the arm, before she crossed her arms and gave him an annoyed glare, clearly not wanting him to insult the soul-stealing shadow. "What?" he asked her, confused and annoyed, as he rubbed his arm.

Hat Kid pulled out a pen and a paper, and wrote something on it, before showing it to Arthur and giving him a stern look. It said 'Remember the terms of the contract: you're supposed to 'Be Nice'!', followed by an angry face that the small girl drew.

"Well, I didn't know we became Care Bears in a world full of rainbows and butterflies. Besides, if the rule applies to us, then it should apply to _him_ as well," Arthur said sarcastically, frowning and crossing his arms. The purple-hatted girl simply crossed her arms and glared at him, clearly upset with his behavior. He sighed and said, "Whatever, let's just go," before walking away.

Hat Kid watched the boy leave for a few seconds; then she glanced at the Snatcher and did a quick wave at him, earning a dismissive wave from the latter. And she went to catch up with Arthur. As she did, the young boy stopped and sighed, before looking at her with a serious look.

"Listen, Hat Kid. You like making friends, I get it. But that ghost?" Arthur said, pointing at the Snatcher. "That's crazy. He tried to kill us, remember?". Hat Kid rolled her eyes in annoyance. Of course she didn't forget, she wasn't stupid.

"The Conductor did too," the small girl retorted as she crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"That's different. Mustache Girl tricked him and he wasn't in his right mind at the time. He also apologized after I left the hospital; so I gave him the benefit of the doubt," Arthur explained. He counted with his fingers as he said, "The Snatcher, on the other hand. He took our souls away, forced us to do his dirty work, then when we were no longer of any use to him he tried to kill us of his own free will; all of that without an apology. And the things he said during the battle...". He shut his eyes, forming a pained expression as he remembered the hurtful words of the soul-stealing shadow as Arthur and Hat Kid's clones. He shook his head and said, "You know what, forget it. Let's just go deal with them rifts," before walking away.

Hat Kid stood there as she watched Arthur leave and sighed sadly. The young boy had a point: the Snatcher did force them to temporarily give up their souls, forced them to do thankless and dangerous tasks under contracts, threatened and made fun of them at every turn, and tried to kill them to take back all of the Time Pieces they earned after completing all of their contractual obligations. Not to mention that the Snatcher's words during the fight clearly hit a nerve to him. Therefore, she understood Arthur's resentment towards the Snatcher.

Nonetheless, the small girl still believed there was a slight ounce of good in the soul-stealing shadow. He is acting all evil and commanding, but she is certain he is just a soon-deh-ray who pretends to not care about anyone. With a little time and patience, he will probably start opening up to her; and hopefully, she can convince him and Arthur to make peace too.

However, right now the priority was to deal with the time rifts in Subcon Forest. The rest will have to wait. Hat Kid ran after Arthur to catch up with him.

Unknown to the children, the Snatcher had been listening to their conversation and he had a blank expression on his face as he gave it some thought. Normally he didn't care what others think of him, and he didn't know why but Arthur's words were bothering him. Somehow, it made the shadow feel... bad for his actions? He shook his head. Why would he care about what some brat thought about him? Arthur and Hat Kid were just some annoying kids who became a pain in his butt the moment they set foot in his forest. Just because he was now contractually obligated to be their 'BFF' doesn't mean he has to care about their feelings or even be nice to them.

Dismissing the thought, the Snatcher continued reading his book. Hopefully, these two kids will leave him alone after they retrieve whatever they came for.

* * *

As they began to search for the time rifts, the two children noticed that another area of the forest was still blocked off by the fire barrier. That would be problematic if one or two or all rifts were inside that area, especially the purple one. So the duo looked around for the last Fire Spirits in the forest.

And they found two of them dancing around a bonfire near a courtyard, after the part of the forest that was on fire. Knowing what they had to do, they explored the area to find paintings to throw into the fire. They found five paintings up in the trees and on top of stone towers, which they brought back to the bonfire and burned them. As expected, the Fire Spirits thanked the children for their help before they vanished alongside their bonfire. Finally, the last fire barrier disappeared, giving access to the final area of Subcon Forest.

Since they lost a bit of time with the Fire Spirits, Arthur suggested they split up: he will deal with the blue time rifts, while Hat Kid goes to seal the purple one. The small girl agreed and went to the newly accessible area, while Arthur headed for the blue time rift that he spotted earlier on top of the stone wall inside the courtyard.

Hat Kid walked through the new area in search of the purple time rift, taking out a few spiders that came on her way. Eventually, she spotted some old ruins with a frozen geyser in the middle and giant shards of glass floating around it. She instantly recognized the structure on the picture and ran towards it. Sure enough, she spotted the purple rift floating mid-air in front of the geyser. Using the flying stones and gears, she made her way up to the sparkling orb and touched it, disappearing into the rift.

After her vision cleared, the young alien found herself on a very small ice-coated island, making her shiver and wrap her arms around herself because of the cold temperature. A few raccoons in pajamas were sleeping on the snowy ground. Somehow, they didn't seem to mind the cold. The hatch was at the top of the icy rocks before her, and it was already open. She grabbed a picture behind the rocks before she entered the hatch.

In the second level, she was in the forest, high up in the trees, that appeared to be on fire. There was a wrecking ball swinging back and forth between two of the treehouses that sat in the trees, and a few sleeping raccoons. While avoiding the wrecking ball and the raccoons that were floating in the air, she collected the rift pons and four pictures, before she jumped into the hatch to the next level.

The third level included large stone towers, and wooden platforms spinning around. Hat Kid made her way across the tops of the towers, grabbing the rift pons and two pictures, and avoiding more sleeping raccoons, then she jumped into the unlocked hatch.

In the next level, she found herself on top of a well filled with frozen water. She noticed some pillars coated in ice around her, as well as a Mafia man standing on a frozen leafy branch. The goon seemed quite nervous and unsure of himself as he was getting ready to jump onto one of the pillars to try and reach the hatch at the end of the parkour.

As Hat Kid observed him from her position, he leaped onto the pillar, tripping and landing face first on top of it. Suddenly, the pillar he was on trembled and moved down to the large icy spikes below. A scream was heard; and when the pillar came back up seconds later, the Mafia man was no longer on it. Hat Kid grimaced, having a pretty good guess of what happened to the goon judging by the floor coated with ice spikes below. She will have to be quick if she had to stand on those unstable pillars and make it to the hatch in one piece.

With a nod, she jumped from pillar to pillar, making sure to be fast enough as each pillar fell under her feet. She grabbed the rift pons as well as a picture, avoiding the sleeping raccoons and whacking a spider on the way. Eventually, she managed to make it to the hatch. She caught her breath and let out a relieved sigh, before she jumped into it.

In the next level, she stood on top of large tower in a green-foggy area. There were three big glass containers with strange purple carnivorous plants locked up inside them, as well as a few books and bone cages laying around. Some sleeping raccoons were around, along with some weird black squids creating electric shockwaves from time to time. Using her umbrella and her homing attacks, Hat Kid took out the squids and the raccoons to prevent unwanted injuries.

The hatch to the next level was nearby. However, Hat Kid wanted to see if there were any pictures left before she moved on. Sure enough, she found some wooden platforms at the side of the tower leading down to a lower level. She made her way down and found herself inside a library dimly lit by a single lantern. She spotted a picture on the left and picked it up. After making sure there were no more pictures around, she went back up and jumped into the hatch.

And finally, she landed on a raft in the middle of the purple swamp water from Subcon Forest. In the middle of the raft was the heart of the time rift. With a few whacks of Hat Kid's umbrella and a homing attack, the heart was destroyed and replaced with a Time Piece. The purple-hatted girl smiled and grabbed it, before being teleported back to the real world.

When her vision cleared, she found herself back in Subcon Forest, in front of the frozen geyser. As she expected, she had the Time Piece and a storybook in her hands.

"Hey, Hat Kid."

The young alien looked to the side and saw Arthur walking towards her with two Time Pieces in hand.

"I managed to seal off both blue time rifts. I reckon you were able to deal with yours," he said, noticing the Time Piece and the storybook in Hat Kid's hands. The small girl nodded.

Arthur walked up to Hat Kid's side and read the title of the book.

"'The Tale of Queen Vanessa'? Yikes. Just the mere mention of that monster's name gives me the chills," he said with a grimace, shuddering at the memory of the shadowy queen.

"Brr..." Hat Kid shivered as a chill went down her spine, agreeing with the boy.

"Well, at least we'll learn more about her. Let's read the book," Arthur suggested, giving his Time Pieces to the small girl.

Hat Kid put the three hourglasses in her pockets and opened the book to the first page. It showed a prince on the left and a princess on the right. The princess had beautiful long blond hair, a tiara, an elegant green dress, blue gloves, and dark brown shoes. Needless to say it was how Queen Vanessa looked like before she became... the monstrosity she is now. The prince had short toffee-brown flowing hair that curled up a bit at the ends. He was wearing a small crown, a red and purple prince coat, beige pants, and purple boots. The two children did recall a prince being mentioned in the diaries and notes they read back when they were sneaking inside Queen Vanessa's manor.

The prince and the princess were happily holding hands and hearts were drawn in the background, showing that the both of them were in love.

The second page showed Queen Vanessa walking happily around a village. Some children greeted her with bright smiles, and one of them was even offering her a flower crown. Seems like the queen was very appreciated by the villagers. Arthur and Hat Kid then recognized some of the houses from the village they saw after they crossed the bridge when they were on their way to the manor; without the snow on the ground and the icicles in the houses of course. What surprised them the most were the masks that the children were wearing in the picture: they were similar to the ones that the Dwellers had on their faces. Does that mean... that the Dwellers were the ghosts or the souls of the children that once lived in the village? That makes sense. The minions did say that the Dwellers were here even before they were summoned in the forest.

The third page showed Queen Vanessa who was staring at two people standing near a flower cart in shock. One of them was the prince, and the other was a maiden with red hair in a braid, freckles on her face, a blue dress with a brown apron, and black shoes. The two of them were seemingly seen holding hands. Was the prince cheating on Queen Vanessa?

The fourth page showed the queen with tears streaming down her cheeks. Her appearance darkened a little and a heart snapped in half was displayed in front of her. She was heartbroken.

In the fifth page, the prince and the maiden were shown again. However, it turned out that the prince was simply buying flowers from the lady, as she was seen holding a coin in her hand and handing out a bouquet made of purple and white flowers. So when they were seen 'holding hands', in reality the prince was just giving the coin to the florist; but Queen Vanessa clearly misunderstood the situation and thought her prince was cheating on her. In the picture, she is seen running away in tears, as the prince spotted her, seeming confused and concerned.

In the sixth page, the prince and Queen Vanessa were inside a room. A painting of the both of them was on the wall, and the prince's face on it was torn. The prince had the bouquet he bought in hand and appeared to be trying to explain the situation to Queen Vanessa, but the latter didn't seem to listen or believe him. She looked angry and tears were streaming down her face. Her appearance became darker, her teeth were becoming sharp, her fingers grew claws, and a dark aura formed around her.

In the seventh page, the prince is shown being taken away by two guards wearing armors by order of the queen, dropping the bouquet and pleading Vanessa to hear him out, without success. Queen Vanessa's appearance continued to change drastically. She was now dark and hunched over. Her tears froze as they fell, turning into ice, and thick ice spikes formed at her feet.

In the eighth page- Arthur and Hat Kid's eyes widened in shock.

"Holy hell..." the twelve-year-old boy muttered in shock, wondering if his eyes weren't fooling him as he stared at the picture.

Chained up by the wrists against the wall in a dark basement was the prince. However, his appearance was different... familiar even... His whole body was now shadowy, and tears were falling from his golden glowing eyes. The two children immediately recognized the form... it was...

"The Snatcher... The Snatcher is the prince!" Arthur said in realization. "No wonder he hates that monster." Hat Kid nodded with her jaw dropped.

It explained why the Snatcher was so afraid of Queen Vanessa. The fact that he wanted to avoid the manor, the fear showing on his face at the mention of Queen Vanessa's name, him saying that he wished he never met her... It all made sense. The two children couldn't help but feel bad for him; even Arthur, despite his resentment towards the shadow.

And finally, the last page showed Queen Vanessa in her final appearance that the two children knew and came to fear. Shadowy, eyes glowing red, and a dark aura surrounding her.

The story ended here, so Hat Kid closed the book.

"Well, I guess we know how Queen Vanessa became the monstrosity she is now... And the Snatcher too for that matter," Arthur remarked. He glanced around the place and said, "I'm pretty sure she's responsible for the state Subcon Forest is in too." Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

Indeed, judging by the storybook, Subcon Forest probably used to be a wonderful place at the time. A whole kingdom was established and people were happily living there. However, because of a misunderstanding regarding the prince, Queen Vanessa destroyed it all and became a monster that turned people into ice from this very day. All of the snow past the bridge and near her manor, the deaths of the inhabitants of this former kingdom – including the prince's death – and them rising into spirits... She caused all of this out of jealousy.

Arthur walked a few steps away from Hat Kid, his back turned on her, as he said, "You know... I've been quite pissed at the Snatcher for putting us through hell. I still am." He paused as he stopped walking and looked down in thought. "But I guess he had it pretty rough with that crazy and love-obsessed queen."

He then remembered the way he acted earlier, especially with Hat Kid when she told him to be nice with the Snatcher. The young boy sighed sadly and turned around to look at Hat Kid guiltily.

"I'm really sorry for everything I said before. I just... I have a lot on my mind right now, and our misadventures in this forest have really tired me out," he apologized. Hat Kid gave him a smile and a thumbs up to tell him it was okay. "Still, I'm not sure if trying to befriend the Snatcher is a good idea. You can see he ain't really excited about having to make friends with a couple of kids who came waltzing out in his forest, gave him the beating of his afterlife, and contractually forced him to let us come back here and be his 'BFFs'," he added, emphasizing the word 'BFF' by moving the index and middle fingers of both of his hands up and down in a quoting gesture.

The small girl simply shrugged with a smile. Even though she knew it wasn't going to be easy, her childlike hope that it was possible to befriend the Snatcher still remained. Besides, if she managed to befriend Arthur before, she could do the same with the soul-stealing shadow, surely.

The twelve-year-old boy sighed in defeat and said with a shrug, "You do your thing I guess." He knew that when Hat Kid had something in mind it was impossible to change it. Even if he finds that foolish, he kinda admired it in a way. "Anyway, let's go back to the spaceship. I'm starving."

A growl coming from Arthur's stomach could be heard. Hat Kid giggled, as the young boy rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. She then used one of the Time Pieces they retrieved to bring the both of them back to the spaceship.

* * *

"Brr... This place is creepy!"

Mustache Girl was making her way through Subcon Forest. She walked slowly and cautiously as she scanned her surroundings for anything that might come out from behind the trees and jump her at anytime.

After leaving Dead Bird Studio with the Time Piece that the Conductor gave her, she spent days looking through every nook and cranny of the desert area to see if there were any Time Pieces left that the birds from the movie studio missed when they fell from the sky. She didn't find any though, much to her frustration. Eventually, she remembered a conversation between some Mafia men she eavesdropped back in Mafia Town a while ago, mentioning a forest south of the desert. Apparently, people don't come back from it, but maybe some of the Time Pieces landed there. The red-hooded girl was determined to find the Time Pieces and decided to take the risk to go there anyway.

And now, here she was. Walking anxiously through this dark and creepy forest, worried that anything might attack her; like a ghost for example. She shook her head. Come on now, that's just ridiculous! Ghosts don't exist. They're just entities made up by people and written in stories just to scare children. Surely, there's nothing scary in this forest. Right?

Mustache Girl stopped when she spotted a clearing with an hollow tree in the middle of it a bit further ahead. To her surprise, she could see light coming out of said tree. Was someone living in there?

Out of curiosity, she took a step forward as she began to head towards the clearing. She suddenly yelped when she felt something wrap tightly around her ankle and lift her up upside down in the air. In her surprise, she fidgeted a little before looking up at her ankle to find it ensnared in a rope that was keeping her hung upside down above the ground.

"Ugh, who the hell put that here?" Mustache Girl growled in an irritated tone.

She tried to lift herself up to untie the rope around the ankle. However, she stopped when she saw a black, clawed hand appear above her and cut the rope with a swing. The red-hooded girl yelled as she fell on the ground, landing roughly on her back.

When she got up, the sky became purple and dark clouds surrounded her. Suddenly, a tall shadow emerged from the ground and stared menacingly at the young girl with his golden grin. It was the Snatcher. Mustache Girl's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Seems like ghosts were real after all.

**"AHHHHAHAHAHAHA! FOOOOOoooo..." **the Snatcher began to yell, but he trailed off after taking a better look at the red-hooded girl. **"Hang on a minute. A _KID_?!"**. He growled in annoyance, and the dark clouds surrounding the both of them disappeared. **"Oh great. Of all the next victims that could fall into my traps it had to be another _kid_! Just my luck! And with a mustache too..."** he complained. He sighed, before crossing his arms and forming an irritated look on his face.** "Whatever. What are you doing in _my_ forest, kid?"**

Mustache Girl stared at the soul-stealing shadow for a moment with fear clearly visible on her face. She then placed her fist in front of her mouth and cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. She won't let herself get intimidated by some big shadow that caught her into one of his traps. No doubt he was a bad guy, and she certainly won't show her fear in front of bad guys. Even if they're scary...

"Ahem. Listen to me, you... you bad guy!" the red-hooded girl said, pointing her finger at the Snatcher in a judgemental manner. The latter was clearly not impressed. "I'm Mustache Girl, the future hero of this planet! I'm here to find the Time Pieces and purge the world from evil! And I'm warning you; if I have to beat you to get them, I- I will!" she said as she nervously twirled her mustache, trying to sound as confident as possible.

The Snatcher stared at her blankly for a moment. And then, he bursted out laughing.

**"Hahahahahahaha! Haha! Ha! Ohhh... that's the best I've heard in years!"** the soul-stealing shadow said, his arms wrapped around himself as he laughed uncontrollably. Mustache Girl huffed and stomped her foot on the ground, before crossing her arms and pouting angrily. She was clearly upset that this ghost was mocking her for standing her ground. The Snatcher eventually stopped laughing and wiped off a tear from his eye, before looking at Mustache Girl with his usual menacing grin.

**"Well, news flash, kiddo: you're bit late for that. There are no more Time Pieces left in this forest. Two hat brats came before and took them all. Soooo needless to say, you came all this way for nothing,"** the Snatcher informed her with his arms crossed.

"Wait. 'Two hat brats'?" Mustache Girl asked with a shocked look, hoping it wasn't the ones she was thinking.

**"Yup. An insolent boy with a cowboy hat, and an annoying girl with a top hat,"** the Snatcher said, frowning bitterly as he remembered the two kids that beat him in front of his minions and humiliated him further more by forcing him to become their BFF.

Mustache Girl cursed under her breath and tightened her fists with an angry look on her face. It was indeed those damn traitors: Arthur and Hat Kid. If they were still alive and came here before, that means her scheme regarding the Conductor failed. And to top it all, they were one step ahead of her and managed to get all of the Time Pieces in this forest before she could get her hands on any of them. Dammit!

The mustached girl yelped in surprise when she felt the Snatcher pick her up by her hood with his clawed hand and bring her up in front of his face.

**"Now, for trespassing in my forest and defying me, I should kill you, eat your soul, and toss your lifeless body away,"** he said in a threatening tone, causing Mustache Girl to gulp nervously.** "But I'm clearly not in the mood to deal with you right now. Those two brats have caused enough trouble already. I am DONE with kids!"**. He then brought her closer to his face so he could stare deeply into her frightened tawny eyes. **"_NOW GET THE HECK OUT OF MY FOREST AND NEVER COME BACK!_"**.

And with that, the Snatcher threw the red-hooded girl as far away from his forest as possible. Her scream could be heard becoming fainter and fainter with the distance until it grew silent.

**"Kids..."** the soul-stealing shadow muttered, shaking his head. He then floated back to his tree to continue reading his book.

Meanwhile, Mustache Girl landed outside of Subcon Forest, face first in the sand. The red-hooded girl pushed herself up a little and spat out the sand that got into her mouth. She looked back at the forest that was separated from the desert by a small river, and glared at it. What a mean ghost! No matter; once she finds enough Time Pieces, she'll make him, the Mafia, and every other bad guys pay for their deeds.

She got up and patted the sand off of her. She then walked around in circle with her hands behind her back, deep in thoughts. Subcon Forest was a bust. She had to find another place to look for Time Pieces and quick. She didn't know how many of them Arthur and Hat Kid got already, but they surely have more than she does. She only got one and it isn't enough to proceed with her ultimate plan to rid the planet of evil.

She then stopped and put her hand on her chin, before grinning. She remembered that there were a few mountains north of the desert area. Perhaps more Time Pieces landed there. She would have to cross the whole desert again though, but if she is quick enough she can reach those mountains in two or three days at best. Hopefully, Arthur and Hat Kid will be busy looking somewhere else before they get the idea of going there too.

Without wasting any more time, Mustache Girl began her journey to reach the mountains and find more Time Pieces before her two enemies do first.

* * *

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! Hope you all liked this chapter! This one took some time to come out, I apologize for that. I had an issue with my computer. The graphic card became defective and it caused constant flickerings in the textures in game as a result. I had to send my PC back to Megaport (the industry that made my PC), and thankfully, they replaced the graphic card and fixed the issue. And after I got my PC back, the chapter was delayed even further because we had friends coming to the house and staying for a few days. Therefore, I was unable to write the chapter before. But finally, here it is!**

**Speaking of which, this marks the end of the Subcon Forest chapter section! Next up is Alpine Skyline. However, before we jump into this part, Arthur will reveal his past in the next chapter. That's right! You guys will finally get to know what happened to him before the events of this story, and what pushed him to become the cold, aggressive and snarky boy he is. Get ready for a lot of dark stuff and an incoming emotional rollercoaster!**

**Alright, it's time to answer some reviews!**

_**To Mad King C:**_** Oh okay, it's alright, you didn't waste my time. That was quite the prank your friend pulled on you. ^^; Anyway, thank you! I'm glad I managed to write the two boss fights well! Now, like I said above, I'm gonna do Alpine Skyline next. Also, in my story, the amount of Time Pieces doesn't really affect the order or the access to each chapters. It simply brings back power to more parts of Hat Kid's spaceship. Regardless of the amount of Time Pieces, I'm gonna write every chapters of the game, including the DLC chapters.**

_**To Nothosaurus:**_** Can't expect less from our favorite, mischievous hat-wearing alien. XD And I agree with you on the relationship between Arthur and the Snatcher, and that's how it's gonna be until the end of the story. XD**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Well, he's only gonna tell Hat Kid for now. The others will eventually find out, but maybe not during the events of this story. We'll see.**

_**To HexoSpikeZ:**_** Heh, sorry. Not sorry. :3 Haha! More seriously, thank you so much!**

_**To Mr. Mega1423:**_** Thank you very much! I agree with you on Alpine Skyline, it isn't the most fun part to write or read about, but I'll find a way to make it interesting in some way. ;)**

_**To Konan720:**_

_**(Chapter 6) **_**Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying it! Indeed, they do have the same fear of heights. ^^ Anyway, glad you're excited for the rest of the story! Take your time to read it and enjoy it. ^^**

_**(Chapter 21)**_** Thanks! Yeah, I found jar-stache to be a fitting insult for the Mafia Boss, and I figured Arthur could use it as well. Again, thank you, I'm glad I managed to describe the painting of Arthur well enough. I'm also sure the young boy would be good friends with Julia. I mean, he would be extremely distrustful of her at first – like he was with Hat Kid when he first met her – but eventually, he would open up more to her too.**

_**To PatoMayo: **_**Hehe, glad I managed to make this part funny. ;)**

_**To UnusedCheese358:**_** I don't know much about the cut content from A Hat in Time. Besides, I'm only writing about the chapters that are officially part of the game, including the DLCs. Unfortunately, I'm not gonna write about Sand N' Sails.**

_**To Pmoneygreen:**_** I answered a similar question in the past. Unfortunately, I don't plan to add her in this story. However, if I end up writing a sequel, I'll include her in this one.**

**Anyway, that's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	35. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

When the duo returned on the spaceship, Hat Kid put the three Time Pieces back in the vault. She got 28 Time Pieces out of 56 back now, which is half of the amount she lost at the beginning. That's definitely progress! The two children also noticed that the Mafia Boss was no longer on the spaceship. He probably returned to Mafia Town while they were dealing with the time rifts in Subcon Forest. They felt relieved they won't have to listen to the jarred crime lord's complains anymore; though it'll feel strange to not hear him again since they got used to his presence for the past few weeks.

After that, the two children ate lunch while discussing their next destination to go look for Time Pieces. However, Hat Kid noticed that Arthur showed signs of fatigue during the talk, such as unintentionally yawning a few times. She already got a feeling he didn't get a lot of sleep last night when she saw the dark rings under his eyes earlier, but his constant yawning confirmed her suspicions.

Despite the boy's claims that he was 'fine' and they shouldn't waste time waiting, the small girl insisted that they rest for the remainder of the day and wait until tomorrow to figure out where to go next, and she stubbornly decided she wouldn't take no for an answer.

Therefore, Arthur spent all afternoon drawing since he didn't feel like taking a nap. Hat Kid watched him draw for a while, but eventually she grew bored and decided to go back to Subcon Forest to explore the area some more and grab any yarns she missed. She managed to find some while exploring and added them to the count – which is 28 yarns in total – before returning to the spaceship. And when night fell on Earth, the two children went to their respective beds and both fell asleep.

Hat Kid later woke up in the middle of the night, feeling thirsty. Yawning, she made her way to the kitchen, and filled a glass with water before drinking it. After that, she placed the empty glass in the sink and began to make her way back to her bedroom.

However, upon returning in the main room, a whimper caught her attention. She looked in the direction she heard it from, and saw Arthur moving and turning in his pillow bed. Now getting worried, she approached him to see what was wrong. The young boy was asleep and his hat was off to the side of the bed. However, tears were falling from his eyes and he had a distressed expression on his face.

"No... no... l-leave me alone... all of you..." Arthur mumbled in his sleep. Hat Kid stared at him with a worried expression. He was probably having a nightmare right now. "D-don't hit me, dad... please..." Hat Kid's eyes widened. 'Dad'? Wait, was he having a nightmare about his dad mistreating him? "Please... just... stop..." Arthur's movements were getting frenetic and uncontrollable. Okay, his nightmare seemed to be getting worse. She needed to wake him up at once.

Hat Kid knelt in front of the twelve-year-old boy, grabbing his shoulders, and shook him awake. Arthur's eyes shot open and he gasped loudly as he suddenly sat up. He breathed heavily, looking around frantically. Slowly noticing it was just a nightmare, the young boy let out a relieved sigh. That's when he noticed Hat Kid on her knees in front of him, looking at him worriedly. He suddenly felt extremely embarrassed that she saw him have a nightmare and woke him up herself.

"Oh... h-hey, Hat Kid. What are you doing here? Thought you'd be sleeping by now," the young boy said, shamefully looking away from her. Noticing this, Hat Kid placed her hand on his shoulder, making him look back at her. He sighed and said, "Don't worry about it... I just had a bad dream. It happens. No big deal."

Hat Kid raised an eyebrow in disbelief. He was making it sound like it wasn't so bad; but his frenetic movements, his crying, and his words while he was asleep clearly said otherwise. Plus, that wasn't the first time Arthur had a nightmare. She recalled him having a nightmare in Subcon Forest when they were still working for the Snatcher. And the fact that he was up early today with bigger dark circles under his eyes, and showed signs of fatigue during the day hinted that he possibly had a nightmare last night too.

"Come on, Hat Kid, stop looking at me as if I had grown a second head. I'm telling you, _I'm fine_," Arthur insisted in an irritated tone. No way he's telling her about his nightmare, he didn't want to. She wouldn't even understand anyway...

Hat Kid suddenly glared at him. Oh no, he's not getting out of this that easily this time! She was sick of him constantly rebuffing her concerns and lying to her about his state over and over again. Always saying 'I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine'. **No!** For the pecking umpteenth time, he's _**NOT**_ fine! He's always dismissing her attempts to help him and leaves her worried about him every time she sees him looking tired, sad, hurt, or when he's hyperventilating on the spot. She. Was. _**Done.**_ With that. This time, he will talk to her about his problems, whether he likes it or not.

The young alien crossed her arms and stared at Arthur dead seriously, stubbornly refusing to move and waiting for him to tell her about his nightmare. The two children had a staring contest for a moment, an uncomfortable silence occuring between them.

"You're not gonna leave me alone until I spill the beans, right?" Arthur asked her with a blank expression. Hat Kid nodded firmly. They continued to stare at each other for a few minutes; neither of the two wanted to back down. However, as time went on, Arthur grew more and more uncomfortable with the stare.

Finally understanding that his friend won't leave until he let the cat out of the bag, he sighed in defeat and said, "Fine, you win. I'll tell you everything. Just promise you won't laugh, okay?" A victorious smile appeared on Hat Kid's face, before she made a cross motion on her chest with her finger and raised her other hand to promise she won't make fun of him.

"Alright," Arthur said, wrapping his arms around his knees. He prepared himself mentally and took a deep breath, as Hat Kid sat cross-legged, ready to listen to the boy. "As you may have guessed, I had a nightmare. To be honest, it's a common thing for me to have them. And when I don't, my dreams are either weird, empty, or I don't even remember them. But recently, it's just... I've been having more and more nightmares, ever since we came into Subcon Forest. I don't know why; maybe it's all of the things we've been dealing with or just the place itself, but... I don't know. It's just been happening every night."

He paused for a second before he continued, "In this one, I was in a dark abyss... all alone... I didn't know where I was, but I couldn't move for some reasons. It was quiet for a moment, then somebody showed up... It was Mustache Girl." Hat Kid's eyes widened at the mention of the red-hooded girl, but she didn't say anything to let her friend continue. "When I asked her what she was doing here, she dodged the question. And instead, she got mad at me. Called me a traitor, a fake friend, and a bad guy for helping you instead of her. Then more people showed up... The Mafia Boss in his jar form, the Conductor, DJ Grooves, the Snatcher, Queen Vanessa, and... someone else I've always hated." He furrowed his brow and gritted his teeth as he remembered the last person who was his arch-nemesis back in his home world.

"They all started to blame me for their misfortunes: the Mafia Boss for defeating him and causing the loss of his body, the Conductor for refusing to let him keep the Time Piece and fighting him over it, DJ Grooves for failing to help him win this year's annual bird movie award, the Snatcher for defying him, insulting him and humiliating him during the fight, Queen Vanessa for trespassing in her manor and stealing the Time Piece from her, and the last person... well... for simply existing and something else I did to him," he explained in a depressed tone, the memory of the painful words said to him anchored in his mind. He did his best to keep the tears from coming out as he continued, "Then, my dad appeared and... it got a lot worse from there. He called me worthless, a burden, a pathetic excuse of a son, and... he tried to hit me, I..." He closed his eyes and a painful expression showed on his face, unable to finish his sentence. It hurts just thinking about it.

Hat Kid formed a shocked expression on her face, before she gave the boy a look of sympathy. This nightmare must have been horrible for him. Like everyone else, she also gets nightmares every once in a while, but they were never as bad as Arthur's. And if he gets similar ones most of the time, then no wonder he had trouble sleeping at night.

"Ugh, this is so dumb... Look at me, I'm a goddamn mess. It's pathetic," Arthur muttered, feeling frustrated and more depressed than before. "Forget it, Hat Kid. This ain't something you can understand. It's simply not worth it. Just go away and leave me be, please. I'll be fi-hmpf...?!" He was suddenly interrupted when Hat Kid covered his mouth with both of her hands.

"Don't," the small girl firmly said with a serious and angry expression, earning a surprised look from the boy. She didn't want him to say he will be fine because she knows it's not true. She won't let him push her away and stop her from trying to help him again.

Removing her hands from the young boy's mouth, she pulled out a paper and wrote on it before showing it to Arthur. It said 'Stop telling me you're fine, I'm not stupid! I know you're not okay and it makes me sad to see you like this. And don't say you're not worth it. You're my friend, I care about you and I wanna help you as best as I can. So help me understand, please,' followed by a pleading face drawn under the sentence.

Arthur was surprised. She... wants to help him? Was she serious about it? Judging by her expression, she did seem quite serious. No catch, trace of malice, or anything. The twelve-year-old boy sighed in defeat.

"All right... If you really wanna understand, then..." he said, before pausing. He hesitated. Was he ready to talk about it? He never did with anyone before; it was just too hard to talk about and it brought back a lot of bad memories. Plus, he had trouble trusting people with it, since the few times he tried – which was a long time ago – they would either make fun of him or simply don't care. However, Hat Kid seemed really genuine about wanting to help. Even if they got off on the wrong foot when they first met, she never tried to make fun of him whenever he was sad, angry, or scared, and she was always supportive of him after they started working together. She did prank him a few times, but it was always harmless so... perhaps he could make an exception this time. He just hoped she won't judge him after that... "Then I gotta tell you who I am and where I come from... I gotta tell you _my story_."

Hat Kid's eyes widened in anticipation. So this is it... She will finally get to hear about Arthur's past. Many questions about the boy that have been trotting in her mind for so long will finally be answered. The young boy took a deep breath, preparing himself mentally to tell the _big story_ to the his friend.

"So... before I tell about my past, there's something you gotta know first. I'm not from around here. I mean, not from this universe... I come from another world, or another dimension to be more specific," Arthur said. Hat Kid gave him a surprised look. She didn't know there were different worlds outside of this one. This is really incredible and interesting.

"When I got back home, I went to my bedroom and found an hourglass similar to your Time Pieces. Except it wasn't one... I have no idea what it was or who it belonged to, but I guess it had some kind of different power in it. When I accidentally broke it, it created that weird portal that sucked me in and sent me here on your spaceship. I didn't have a clue where I ended up, and that's when I met you and... well, you know the rest," the twelve-year-old boy explained as he uncomfortably rubbed the back of his head, remembering the hostilities between him and Hat Kid at the start. The small girl chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her head as well.

"When we went into the Mafia's HQ to fight the Mafia Boss, the Badge Seller told me I was in another world where things worked differently from mine," he continued. Hat Kid formed a curious and skeptical look. How did the Badge Seller know about all this? Arthur noticed her expression and simply said with a shrug, "They've got their own ways to know," repeating the glitchy vendor's mysterious explanation. "I don't know why, but... the Badge Seller... I feel like I met them before I even came to this world. I don't know, they felt... familiar somehow. And yet, I don't remember meeting them outside of this universe. They're a mystery and they sure like keeping it that way..."

Hat Kid slowly nodded and put her hand on her chin, intrigued as well. The Badge Seller was a mystery, but she was most especially curious about that 'hourglass' that Arthur talked about. She never heard of anything having a similar appearance to a Time Piece that transports people to other dimensions. Not even the books she read about the Time Pieces talked about that. Strange...

"Ah, it doesn't matter. Probably just my mind playing tricks on me," Arthur said as he shook his head, deciding to dismiss the thought. He decided that now was the right time to tell Hat Kid about his past.

"Anyway, so... I was born in a city named Sacramento. Been living there my whole life with my parents – I was an only child. As you've noticed, I like drawing and I was always a big fan of Western-related movies, books, video games... even clothes and objects," he said, glancing at his cowboy hat on the floor. He sighed sadly and continued in a depressed tone, "My life at home... it was horrible. No, scrap that... It was _**hell**_. I was the punching ball of almost everyone there. I was bullied, insulted, discarded by every kid in my school and outside of it. None of the adults would care, do anything about it, or even listen to my problems. And on top of that, one of my parents – my dad to be more specific – was a top-gold abusive jerk. He was alcoholic, violent, and short-tempered. He would yell at me, insult me, blame me for almost everything, and sometimes hit me. And that's not all... sometimes, people would beat me up so badly that I'd sometimes wake up in a hospital bed." He let out a sigh. "To everyone else, I was a damn mistake. An empty can that had to be thrown away... And I never knew why. Was it because I was too shy? Shorter than most kids? That I had hobbies and preferences different from theirs? Never dreamed big enough? Or maybe they decided to be mean to me just because they could? I don't know. All I know is that I was everyone's laughingstock and nobody cared about me."

Hat Kid's eyes widened in shock, and her heart sank as she formed a sad look on her face. So it was true... Arthur was rejected and insulted by everyone in his home world, and apparently his own dad was a jerk too. And even worse, he got beat up and sent to the hospital so many times. The small girl had figured that bad things happened to him in the past because of his behavior, his anxiety, and some reactions he had. But she never imagined it was _this_ bad.

"Well... actually, there were two people who cared about me. The first one was my mom," Arthur said, smiling fondly at the memory of his mother. "Unlike my father, she was always so kind to me. She supported me and loved me... She always knew what to say to make me feel better whenever I felt down, and she gave me what I always needed... Love." He glanced at his cowboy hat and rested his hand on it, his smile still present. "She also knew I loved anything related to the Wild West, and unlike everyone else, she respected that. This cowboy hat... she gifted it to me on my seventh birthday. I remember it like it was yesterday..."

* * *

_Today was the day Arthur turned seven. He was sitting at the table in the kitchen with an eager smile as he watched his mom bring the birthday cake that had seven lit-up candles on top of it._

_"Here you go, my dear! Strawberry cake, just how you like it. Happy Birthday!" she said with a smile, placing the cake on the table._

_"Whoa! Thanks, mom! It looks tasty! Yum!" Arthur said excitedly. He tried to reach for the cake with his finger to pick some and put it in his mouth._

_"Uh-uh-uh, no touchy, little gourmet. You gotta blow the candles out first, then I'll give you a slice on your plate," his mom said with a smile as she waved her finger from side to side. Hearing this, the now seven-year-old boy stopped himself from dipping his finger into the cake and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly._

_"Aww... Oh well, it was worth a try," Arthur said with a mischievous smirk._

_"Not on my watch, you little devil," his mom retorted jokingly as she smirked. Arthur playfully stuck his tongue out at her, to which his mom gladly returned. Then, the two of them shared a laugh._

_Arthur's mom was 31 years old and her name was Mary. She had black shoulder-length hair, and green emerald eyes like her son. She was wearing a green open cardigan over a white t-shirt, a dark grey skirt, and black shoes. A lovely woman with a good sense of humor. Kind and caring, she loved her son deeply and provided him all the support he needed, especially in school where he had trouble making friends and keeping up with some of his classes. She worked as a saleswoman in a clothing store in Sacramento. Though, she took the day off to be here for Arthur's birthday and spend the whole day with him._

_"Make sure to make a wish before you blow out the candles," she said._

_"Okay, mom!" Arthur answered enthusiastically. He closed his eyes and made a wish. "Done!". He opened his eyes again and blew on the candles, extinguishing them all._

_"Yeaaaaah!" Mary cheered as she clapped. "You're seven now! How time flies! You're becoming a big boy!" Arthur smiled shyly._

_"Heh, but I was already a big boy before, mom!" the young boy joked._

_His mom chuckled and teasingly said, "If you say so, 'big boy'," with a wink. Arthur responded by playfully sticking his tongue out at her again. However, as the seven-year-old boy looked at the empty chairs around him, his smile dropped and he looked down sadly. Mary noticed this and gave him a concerned look. "What's wrong, Arthur?"_

_Arthur sighed and looked back at his mom, before saying, "I don't understand why nobody likes me at school. I tried really hard to fit in and make friends, but nobody wants to talk to me or play with me. And when they do, it's just to say mean things to me. Why? What did I do wrong?"._

_Ever since he went to school, the young boy was always rejected by the other kids. They kept avoiding him, and some of them even insulted him and laughed at him. He tried to invite his classmates to a birthday party the two previous years, but nobody came. So this time, he didn't invite anyone since he knew no one would come. He never understood why the others hated him. He never said anything mean to them, so why were they acting that way? _

_Mary nodded understandingly. Her son did tell her a lot of times how others were treating him at school. She always told him that things would be okay, and that he would eventually find someone or others who accept him for who he is and become his friend. However, it's been two years that he started school and Arthur still wasn't able to make any friends. He had always been a nice and cheerful boy, despite being shy and reserved, but recently she noticed he had been getting sadder and less energetic. She was worried that he would eventually lose hope and that it would change him into becoming cold, distrustful, and withdrawn._

_"You didn't do anything wrong, sweety," she said, placing a hand on her son's shoulder. "They just don't know you very well. Sometimes, people are afraid of anything they don't know or deem different from them. Just give them time, they'll come around eventually."_

_Arthur looked down, unconvinced, and said, "I don't know. It's been two years now and some kids I knew since then are still judging me. I don't think I'll ever make any friends..." Mary gave him a sympathetic look. She wished she could help him better than that and give him more confidence in himself, but it didn't look like anything she would say will help at the moment; so she decided to change the subject instead._

_She smiled and asked, "So... wanna tell me what wish you made?". Arthur looked back at her and his smile returned._

_"Nu-uh, not telling," he said teasingly._

_"Aww, why is that?" Mary asked, trying to sound upset despite the slight smile showing at the corner of her lips._

_"It's a secret~," Arthur answered in a sing-song voice._

_"What? You don't trust your own mother with your secrets? I am extremely offended, young man," his mom asked with a fake pout as she crossed her arms, causing Arthur to laugh._

_"Aww... All right, I'll tell you what my wish is," the seven-year-old boy said. He intertwined both of his hands together and said with an innocent smile, "I want a little brother." Mary's smile dropped and her eyes widened after hearing that._

_"Uhh... w-what?" she asked, dumbfounded._

_"Or a little sister. Any of the two. I want a sibling," Arthur added._

_"Why do you want a sibling?" Mary asked, surprised by her son's wish._

_"Well umm, because I... because I feel like they won't be mean to me or reject me like the other kids do," Arthur explained shyly, playing with his fingers. "If I have a little brother or a sister, then I won't be alone. They'll love me and I'll love them back, and we'll have fun together. I think it makes sense, right?"_

_His mom gave him a surprised look. She didn't expect this kind of wish from her son. It was clear that he was suffering from his loneliness. She couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed by the request. It was easier said than done because of the way children were made – not to mention that her relationship with her husband had been going downhill for a while. Perhaps, she could consider adopting a child, but her husband would probably never agree._

_"I'll, uhh... see what I can do, alright?" she said uncomfortably. Arthur looked down, slightly disappointed with the answer, but he accepted it nonetheless. Deciding to change the subject, Mary smiled and said, "I've got something for you. I'll be right back." She walked out of the kitchen and came back a minute later with a large red birthday gift that she proceeded to place on the table in front of her son._

_"Go ahead, open it," she said with a nod._

_Arthur grinned in excitement and eagerly proceeded to rip off the paper around the gift, revealing a large white box. He opened it and his eyes widened as he checked the content, a feeling of joy overwhelming him. A cowboy hat! It was black, made of leather, and a string was wrapped around it and formed a knot on the side. The young boy picked it up and examined it with a huge smile on his face._

_"So? What do you think?" Mary asked, smiling at him._

_"I... I love it! Thank you so much, mom!" Arthur said happily, placing the new hat on his head. It fitted him perfectly!_

_"You're welcome. Now I can officially call you 'my little cowboy'," Mary joked._

_"Mooooom!" Arthur whined as he rolled his eyes, causing his mom to chuckle._

_"A cowboy hat? Seriously? You couldn't find more lame than that boring old-themed hat?" a familiar masculine voice said, causing Mary and Arthur to look in their direction. Standing at the doorway of the kitchen was Arthur's dad staring at the cowboy hat with an unimpressed look._

_His name was Henri and he was 33 years old. He had brown hair, brown eyes, and a stubble. He was wearing a brown leather jacket over a white and green striped sweater, blue jeans, and dark brown shoes. He worked in a carpentry in Sacramento. Unlike Mary, Henri wasn't exactly the most tender person that existed. He was harsh, short-tempered, uncaring. And above all, he had an addiction to alcohol. He would often go to the nearest bar after work and drink a lot to the point he sometimes reached a drunk state. Sometimes, he would take out his anger and frustration on his wife and his son, but thankfully it never escalated to the point he would lay a hand on either of them. Not yet at least..._

_Mary sighed in exasperation, while Arthur quickly looked away from his dad._

_"Henri, come on... You know Arthur likes anything that is Western themed and there's nothing wrong with that. So give him a break," Mary said._

_Henri simply rolled his eyes and said, "Whatever. Anyway, I'm gonna go to the bar. I'll be back tonight." He turned around to walk away._

_"Seriously, Henri? Today is your son's birthday! You could at least try to spend the day with us instead of always going away and drink at the bar like a leaky barrel!" Mary said furiously._

_"What for? He already got his cake and gift, so why bother? Besides, Joe is waiting for me at the bar. I don't have time for this," Henri retorted, turning his head around to glare at his wife. Mary glared back at him, while Arthur formed a sad look. "Anyway, I gotta go. See you both tonight. And Happy Birthday, Arthur, I guess." He then walked away, leaving his wife and his son alone in the room._

_"Ugh, that pig... Sometimes, I wonder why I keep putting up with him," Mary muttered angrily. She looked back at Arthur, and noticed he had removed his new cowboy hat from his head and was looking at it with a despondent expression. "Don't worry, deary. You know your father is a big idiot, but I assure you that you look great with your hat," she tried to reassure him with a warm smile._

_"I guess..." the young boy said with a sad sigh._

_Mary's smile dropped and was replaced with a sad frown. Seeing her little boy like this made her sad. It also made her angry... Angry at her husband for being such a bad and uncaring father that only thinks of drinking daily. What's even more sad is that he wasn't always like this. Sure, he always had a temper, but he used to be more kind, more affectionate, and more caring towards her and their son in the past. Unfortunately, he had some trouble with his boss and some of his colleagues at work, so he started drinking to compensate and... it changed him. He wasn't the same man he used to be when she met him and married him a few years ago. Maybe Henri wasn't entirely to blame, but he shouldn't have let his problems at work get the best of him. No matter how many times she tried to talk to him about it and reason with him, he always rebuffed her._

_She didn't know how long she would last like this though. Arthur deserved better than a father who doesn't pay much attention to him and spends his days drinking. She thought about the possibility of divorce and moving someplace else where she and Arthur could start anew, and have a happier life. Henri wouldn't take it well, that's for sure... but she had to put her son's needs and future before all else. She will have to look into that when she can. For now, it was Arthur's birthday and she had to make it as enjoyable and memorable for him as possible._

_"I've got another surprise for you," she said as she reached for something in her pocket, causing her son to look at her curiously. She pulled out two tickets and said with a smile, "I bought two tickets for a Wild West play in downtown. How about we go watch it tonight, just you and me?". Arthur's grin immediately returned upon hearing this._

_"A Wild West play? Awesome! Thank you so much, mom!" the seven-year-old boy beamed, unable to keep his excitement as he jumped out of his chair, then jumped up and down happily. Mary chuckled at the sight of her overexcited son. Arthur looked at the cowboy hat in his hands and placed it back on his head with a smile. "I'll be wearing my new hat when we'll go see the play."_

_"Alright, sweety. You're the boss," Mary answered jokingly, causing Arthur to chuckle. The young boy walked up to his mom and hugged her. She smiled and hugged him back._

_"I love you, mom," Arthur said with a smile._

_"I love you too, my sweet little cowboy," Mary answered warmly. The two of them eventually let go of each other. "Now, how about we eat this cake together? Or maybe you want me to keep it all for myself?" she joked._

_"In your dreams," Arthur retorted playfully as he rolled his eyes. Mary chuckled and went to grab the kitchen knife to cut two slices of the birthday cake._

_And with that, the young boy sat back in his chair and continued to enjoy his birthday in his mom's company._

* * *

"... She really made my day. We went to watch the play together and I loved every second of it. No matter what happened, I knew I could always count on my mom to make me feel better," Arthur explained with a smile. A glum look then formed on his face. "But it didn't last... She had a car accident two days later. She was driving back from work, then a stupid truck cut her off on the road. She didn't have time to react and then..." He shut his eyes, trying to stop the tears from coming out. "They tried to take her to the hospital, but... she died on the way there." He sighed. "She did so much for me. It broke me when I learned about her death. But what killed me the most is I didn't even get to say goodbye or even thank her for everything she did for me before she passed away."

Hat Kid gave him a look of sympathy. Arthur's mom sounded like she was a great person. She can't imagine the pain he must have gone through after losing her.

"After that, things got worse for me day after day. With my mom gone, I had nobody to turn to to support me through my struggles and I had to fend for myself against bullies since no one did a damn thing to help," the twelve-year-old boy continued in a depressed tone. "I was convinced I'd never find anyone who would care about me ever again... until I met a homeless man in the street once. His name was Charles. He was the second person who truly cared about me..."

* * *

_Two years have passed since Mary's death. Arthur's life took a turn for the worse ever since that tragic day. Because of his mother's death and having no one to give him proper support, he began to sink into depression. He began to fall behind on grades at school, even though he managed to graduate which he simply called sheer luck. Not only that but the other kids also became more cruel with him; their insults got worse, they push him around, steal his stuff, throw things at him, they would occasionally beat him up in groups, and some would even follow him outside of school just to humiliate him and beat him up more. Sometimes, the beatings were so bad that Arthur ended up at the hospital more than once. What was even sadder is that none of the adults would do a thing about it, since they were either 'too busy', didn't want to get involved, or simply didn't care._

_His dad also grew worse. After his wife died, Henri started drinking more and became more abusive towards his son, insulting him and hitting him whenever he was angry or when Arthur came back home with a bad grade. Unfortunately, the young boy couldn't even call for help for two reasons. The first one was because his father went as far as to threaten to kill him if he did – he was drunk when he said that – and the second one was because he felt like no one would ever listen to him._

_Because of everything that happened, Arthur's personality had drastically changed ever since. He was no longer the happy and cheerful boy he used to be. To protect himself from other people, he became cold, hardened, aggressive, sarcastic, and snarky. He stopped trying to make friends, and decided to remain alone and never trust anyone; therefore rebuffing anybody trying to start a conversation with him. Also, due to his traumatic experiences, he developed anxiety and started to have panic attacks, such as hyperventilating, whenever the situation gets too stressful or intense for him. And he had trouble sleeping at night because he often had nightmares about his mom's death, his dad and the other kids insulting him and beating him up; and therefore, his face became slightly pale and dark rings formed under his eyes due to lack of sleep._

_Arthur, who is nine years old now, was walking down the street with a tired look on his face. It was currently the weekend, so he didn't have school today. However, he decided to go out for a walk to clear his mind after having another nightmare last night, and to get away from his father for the day._

_Suddenly, the young boy stopped as something got his attention. There was a homeless man on the same sidewalk as him, sitting against the wall of an old apartment building. He looked old, probably past his sixties. He had grey hair, brown eyes, and an unshaven beard. He was wearing an old light grey bucket hat, a beige sweater with a dark grey jacket over it, black fingerless gloves, grey pants, and brown shoes. His clothes were dirty, worn out, and had some holes in them. The man looked tired as if he hadn't slept for days. He was also carrying a mug in his hand, probably to put the money he gets from passersby in it._

_"Excuse me, sir. Could you spare some change, please?" the hobo asked to a man who was passing by, raising his mug to receive some money. The latter ignored him and simply kept walking. The homeless man sighed and lowered the mug. He then noticed Arthur standing there on the side and smiled at the boy. "Excuse me, my boy. If it's not too much trouble, could you spare some change, please? I could really use the money to eat." He showed him the inside of his mug which was currently empty._

_Arthur hesitated. As much as the sight of this poor man was saddening, he didn't know him. What if this guy was dangerous and was hiding it under that seemingly-friendly smile? What if he was tricking him into giving him what he wanted only to insult him and laugh at him afterward, like everyone else did? ... Well, if it's not this hobo that takes his money, it'll be a group of bullies that could jump him at any moments. Might as well be this man instead._

_"Sure, I guess," The nine-year-old boy said with a shrug, before pulling out a five dollar bill from his pocket and approaching the man. "Here." He then tossed it dismissively into the mug. It was all he had, but whatever._

_"Thank you, young man," the homeless man thanked him with a genuine smile._

_"Whatever," Arthur grumbled as he rolled his eyes. He began to walk away, only to stop when the man spoke to him again._

_"You don't look so good. Are you okay?" the hobo asked, having noticed that the young boy looked pale and had dark rings under eyes._

_Arthur was taken aback by the question, but he only said, "I'm fine," before walking again._

_"Are you sure? You look extremely tired," the homeless man said in a surprisingly concerned tone. Arthur stopped and turned around to glare at him._

_"Why do you care?" he asked coldly._

_"Just asking," the man answered with a shrug, unfazed by the boy's harsh tone. Arthur rolled his eyes._

_"Well, too bad I don't have a medal to give you for being the king of fools who ask too many questions," the young boy snarked harshly, crossing his arms. To his surprise, the homeless man didn't get mad or yell at him. Instead, he let out a chuckle, amused by the boy's remark._

_"You're right. Maybe I'm just an old fool who asks too many questions. But hey, what I can do about it?" the hobo said, still smiling. Arthur felt confused and uncomfortable with his reaction._

_"Uhh, okay then...? I uhh... I think I'm gonna get going now," the nine-year-old boy said awkwardly. He was about to quickly walk away, when a familiar and unpleasant voice suddenly spoke._

_"Well, look who we got here!" they said. Arthur's eyes widened as he recognized the voice._

_'Oh no, not him...' he thought in annoyance. He turned around to face the person and gritted his teeth in anger._

_It was a boy slightly older than him, accompanied by two other kids around his age. He had blond shoulder-length hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a white and green striped t-shirt, a black leather jacket with silver-spiked studs on the shoulders, the collar, and the arms, dark blue jeans supported by a black silver-spiked belt, and black sneakers. Arthur knew him... It was Johnny Grant, his arch-nemesis and also the first kid who made fun of him when he entered school for the first time._

_"You know what, Arthur, it's a good thing we ran into you. I felt like punching someone's lights out today. Right on time," Johnny said with an evil grin, cracking his knuckles. His friends chuckled evilly._

_"Get lost, Johnny. I'm not in the mood to listen to your jaw flap right now," Arthur hissed angrily._

_"Whohoho! Well, whadda' ya know! Looks like the little freak has grown himself a mouth," Johnny taunted, looking at his friends to see their reaction. The latters chuckled in amusement at his remark, which pleased the bully. He looked back at his nemesis and mockingly said, "That's a whole new level from the corny and scared little mama's boy you used to be two years ago. Shame she's gone now." Ouch. Arthur shut his eyes and tightened his fists. No matter what, being reminded of his mom's death always hurt._

_"Bite me, you scum!" the nine-year-old boy yelled angrily. Then he spat in Johnny's face, causing the latter to take a step back as his friends gasped at the action. The bully slowly wiped the spit off his face with his hand and glared at it for a second. He then shot a dirty look at Arthur, causing the latter to slowly back away in fear._

_"You little snot! I'll make you **regret** this!" Johnny hissed angrily as he went to grab his rival by the collar of his t-shirt. However, he was abruptly stopped before he could when a hand grabbed him tightly by the wrist. To everyone's shock, it was the homeless man._

_"That's enough, kid. Go home, you and your clique," the hobo ordered, looking at the bully sternly._

_"Stay out of it, old man!" Johnny retorted defiantly._

_"I don't think so," the man firmly said as he shook his head. "Now listen here, if I catch you trying to harm this boy again, I'm gonna go to the police station right away and file charges against you and your little friends for assault and battery. I wonder what your parents will think when they receive a call from the police telling their son is beating on another kid." Johnny's eyes widened at the mention of his parents._

_"Y-you wouldn't do that, would you?" the bully nervously asked, fear clearly present on his face._

_"I'm a man of my word, kid. Plus, the boy knows your identities," the homeless man added, gesturing with his head towards Arthur. "It'll be very easy for the police to find you all out." Johnny growled in frustration but he had no other choice._

_"Fine," he said with a sigh. The hobo nodded and let go of his wrist. He looked at his friends and relucantly said, "Come on, guys. Let's scram." They nodded and began to walk away. As he followed them, Johnny shot a death glare at Arthur that clearly said 'we'll finish this next time we meet', causing the young boy to gulp nervously._

_Soon, the bullies were out of sight, and the homeless man looked at Arthur who was staring at him in surprise and confusion._

_"Are you alright?" he asked._

_"Y-yeah, I-I'm okay," Arthur stuttered, still dumbfounded that the hobo defended him against the bullies. "...Why though? Why did you defend me against them?"_

_The homeless man smiled and said, "Because I couldn't let a child get beaten up like this. It's called failure to assist a person in danger," earning a surprised look from the boy._

_"Oh, uhm... well uhh, t-thanks... I-I guess," Arthur stammered awkwardly, putting his hands in his pockets and shuffling his foot on the ground. That was the first time someone else than his mother actually went out of their way to help him against bullies. He clearly wasn't used to this and he felt a bit uncomfortable by the action._

_The man looked in the direction the bullies left, then back at Arthur. "This Johnny boy... he said you lost your mom," he stated. The young boy looked down, a pained expression on his face as he tried to keep the tears from coming out. "My condolences, young man, and... I apologize for bringing it up again," the hobo apologized sincerely._

_"Yeah..." Arthur simply said in a sad and depressed tone. He sighed and said, "I think I'll go now..." He turned around to walk away, but he was stopped when the homeless man placed a hand on his shoulder._

_"Wait, kid," he said, causing Arthur to face him again. He pulled out a ripped creased piece of paper from his pocket, along with a pen, and wrote on it. "Here, this is the list of the streets I'll be on every day. It's a schedule since I'll be moving around the city a lot to ask people for money. You can come find me at these locations if you need someone to talk to."_

_He handed the paper out to the boy. Arthur hesitantly took it and read it before looking back at the hobo in surprise._

_"You seem like a good boy in spite of appearances, and you don't look like you got a lot of friends. If you want, we can spend some time together in your free time and I can help you keep the bullies off your back," the homeless man offered him with a smile. The nine-year-old boy gave him a skeptical look, which didn't unnoticed by the hobo. "Don't worry, you don't have to come if you don't want to. And if you still don't trust me, you can ask your dad to come along with you if you want."_

_"Oh, I don't think my dad would really care much if I'm gone..." Arthur muttered bitterly, earning a surprised and concerned look from the homeless man. He looked back at the piece of paper in his hand, before putting it in his pocket. "Thanks for the offer. I'll think about it."_

_"All right, take as much time as you need. You know where to find me if you're ever interested," the man said, patting the pocket of his pant to refer to the piece of paper he gave him._

_"Sure," Arthur said._

_The hobo nodded, then he sat back in the same spot he was before, taking his mug in his hand again. "Name's Charles by the way," he said._

_"Arthur," the young boy told his name as well._

_Charles nodded and said, "I hope to see you again soon, Arthur."_

_Arthur didn't say anything, but he nodded anyway. He then began to make his way back to the house. As he did, he was thinking about the man's offer to come talk to him in his free time. He didn't know if he could trust him; so many people treated him badly and made empty promises before, he wasn't sure if Charles truly meant what he said or if there was some kind of trick hidden behind that smooth talk. Though, the man did defend him against Johnny, so... maybe he was truly genuine about it. No matter, he'll have more time to think about it when he's back at home._

* * *

"... I spent the rest of the day in my room as well as half of my night thinking about his offer," Arthur said. "Eventually, I decided to join him the next day, using the schedule he gave me. It goes without saying I was nervous at first, but Charles was... _happy_ to see me. I was surprised... but I didn't question it. We just sat there on the sidewalk and just talked about everything and nothing, our hobbies and stuff. We did that for most of the day, then we both had to leave. I had to admit... it was nice to have someone to talk to again; and Charles seemed happy too. And when I was around him, the other kids didn't try to bully me, which was great. So we continued meeting and talking after school ever since."

He formed a sad look as he continued, "One day, he told me he used to be a police chief a long time ago, but he once made a mistake that costed him his whole career and got him fired. After that, he became addicted to gambling and was in debt for a long time. Because of that his wife left him and took his son with her. He was all alone after that, and soon he lost all of his money. It was only a matter of time before the bailiff came to evict him from his house... After that, he roamed the streets of Sacramento, asking people for money and doing what he could to survive."

He paused before he continued, "I felt bad for him, and he was grateful I showed him sympathy. And when I was ready, I told him everything about me: how my life was hell, how my dad and other people treated me, how my mom died... For a moment, I feared he might just backstab me and make fun of my miserable existence... but he didn't. He showed me sympathy, comforted and supported me." A smile appeared on the boy's face. "For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had someone who cared about me again, just like my mom did. And Charles too; after being alone for so many years, I think he also needed someone to talk to. I felt a lot better, it was like I had a purpose again... something to keep me going."

Arthur's smile suddenly dropped and was replaced with a sad frown.

"However, about two months later, I noticed something was wrong with Charles... He seemed more tired, weaker, and he started coughing – a little at first, then... more as days passed," he said as his tone was getting more and more depressed. "Though, he would always tell me that it was nothing and it would pass eventually... Only it didn't... I soon learned what was wrong when I came to see him one evening, and the results weren't pretty..."

* * *

_It was currently evening and the sun was setting. Arthur walked through the city, heading for the place where Charles was sleeping for the night. It was under the Tower Bridge; the homeless man had set a small camp by the river. Charles showed it to him a few days ago and told him he could come visit him at night if he wanted to._

_The young boy wanted to check on his friend because he was worried about his health. Recently, the hobo had been looking more tired, weaker, and he had been coughing on several occasions. Charles assured him that it wasn't a big deal, but Arthur wasn't convinced. His friend's condition seemed to worsen as every day passed. He already tried to offer the man some medicine but the latter kindly refused, saying it wasn't necessary._

_Arthur was extremely worried. He didn't want to imagine the worst case scenario, so he really hoped that whatever sickness Charles got would pass._

_He eventually reached the homeless man's camp. The first thing he heard was the sound of a coughing. He saw Charles sitting against the pillar of the bridge, in front of a lit-up burn barrel. The old man was covering his mouth with his hand as he coughed. He eventually stopped and looked at his hand, a worried expression on his face._

_"Charles?" Arthur said to catch his attention. The hobo looked at him and smiled upon recognizing the boy._

_"Oh, hey Arthur. Felt like visiting me tonight?" Charles greeted him tiredly, wiping his hand on his worn-out jacket. He looked terrible. His face was paler, the bags under his eyes were darker, and his voice was weaker. He seemed to be getting worse._

_"More like felt that you needed a regular medical check. You okay?" Arthur asked worriedly._

_Charles nodded and said, "Yeah, I'm okay. Just tired. Sleeping out in the cold sure gets old." Arthur frowned, clearly not believing him._

_"Cut the nonsense, old man. You're clearly not okay," the young boy deadpanned. "Look, if you're sick, I can get you medicine or at least some money to get the medical attention you require."_

_Charles sighed in exasperation and said, "We talked about this before, Arthur. It's nothing more than a cough. As a homeless old man, it's normal for me to get sick every so often. It hasn't killed me before."_

_"That's what I'm worried about..." Arthur muttered anxiously. Charles sighed and shook his head._

_"Come on, sit next to me. I got something I wanna show you," the hobo said as he patted the ground next to him, inviting the boy to sit down. Arthur felt frustrated that he was trying to change the subject like that, but he knew the man was too stubborn to change his mind. Sighing, he walked up to the homeless man and sat down next to him._

_Charles searched in the pocket of his jacket and pulled out an harmonica._

_"An harmonica?" Arthur asked, his eyes widening in wonder at the sight of the instrument._

_"Yes, I used to play it for my son before his bedtime. I always held onto it since then. It's the only thing I have left of him," Charles said with a nostalgic smile. "You said you love anything related to the Wild West. I just happen to know a tune. Wanna hear it?"_

_"Sure," Arthur said with an eager smile._

_The homeless man nodded. He brought the harmonica to his lips and began playing a Wild West tune. Arthur immediately recognized it: it was called Red River Valley, performed by Michael Martin Murphey – one of his favorite songs. The young boy smiled as he listened to his friend play the intrument. No doubt Charles had some good talents in playing the harmonica. The two just sat there as music filled the air, just enjoying the moment._

_Eventually, the tune ended. Charles removed the harmonica from his lips and looked at Arthur, waiting for the boy's opinion._

_"It was really great, Charles. Thanks for playing it for me," Arthur said, smiling at the man._

_"Don't mention it, my boy. I'm just glad I was able to play for someone else rather than myself for once," Charles said, returning the smile._

_Suddenly, the hobo's smile dropped and he quickly turned his head away as a violent coughing fit took him, causing him to drop his harmonica on the ground._

_"Charles?" Arthur asked, getting worried._

_"No wait... stay back..." Charles said in between coughs, placing his arm between himself and Arthur to keep him away. Then, something came out of the hobo's mouth and splatted on the ground, making Arthur's eyes widen in horror. It was **blood**. "Oh, that's not good..." the homeless man muttered worriedly as he stared at the traces of blood droplets on the ground._

_"Charles, why the hell are you coughing blood?" Arthur asked, now panicking._

_"I guess there's no point hiding it anymore..." the hobo said, sighing in defeat. He gave the nine-year-old boy a sad and serious look. "Arthur... I got tuberculosis." Arthur's heart sank after hearing this. Tuberculosis? That's a deadly disease!_

_"Tuberculosis? T-that's a joke, right?" the young boy asked in panic._

_"I wouldn't joke about this, Arthur," Charles said sadly._

_"H-how...? When...?" Arthur asked in a panicked stutter._

_"I'm not sure... I think... I caught it about a month ago when I came across a guy who had to same symptoms," Charles explained. "I had no idea what was wrong with him at the time. I saw him coughing blood so I went to help him, but he failed to cover his mouth in time and... that's probably when I got infected. I didn't even notice it until I began coughing about two weeks ago. At first, I thought it was just a bad cough, but as days passed I started coughing blood, and... that's when I knew..."_

_"But why? Why didn't you tell me as soon as you knew, you damn fool? I could've gotten you something to help with it!" Arthur said in an angry tone, clearly upset that the man had been keeping his sickness a secret from him._

_"Medicine alone isn't enough, Arthur," Charles said, trying to remain as calm as possible. "To heal properly you have to stay in someplace warm and dry, take it easy, and eat properly. And seriously, I don't think I need to elaborate on my case to tell you why I can't..." He sighed, before looking at Arthur sadly and guiltily. "And... I didn't want you to waste your money on a lost cause. I'm really sorry, kid... I'm afraid I don't have much time left."_

_Upon hearing this, the young boy got up to his feet and looked at Charles dead seriously._

_"I've heard enough, old man. I'm taking you to the hospital, and if I have to drag you all the way through the streets of Sacramento to do it, then I will," he hissed, almost making it sound like a threat. He was desperate and scared... Scared that he will lose Charles like he lost his mom. He didn't want that to happen. If Charles dies, he will be all alone again... Alone against the whole world, without anyone to support him. He won't be able to handle it._

_Charles hesitated for a second, before he sighed in defeat and said, "Alright... Let's go." He struggled a little as he tried to get up, so Arthur helped him up on his feet. "Arthur... Before we go, I just wanted to say... Thank you for spending time and talking with me. I've been on my own for so long, struggling in the streets to survive, and no one was interested in talking with a homeless old man... It was hard, but you made these last two months easier for me to live through. You're a good kid, Arthur. Don't let let those fools tell you otherwise," he added sincerely and appreciatively._

_Arthur felt touched by the hobo's words. Hearing someone else than his mom tell him he helped and was a good person warmed his heart. It brought a smile on his face despite the situation._

_"Don't mention it, old man. I'm the one who should thank you for everything you did. Aside from my mom, you're the first person who understands me and cares about me when no one else does. So... thank you, Charles," he said appreciatively. Charles didn't say anything and only smiled at him, before he turned his head away and placed his arm against his mouth as he had another coughing fit. "Come on, let's get to the hospital now."_

_After making their way through the city, they arrived at the hospital. Right on time, because Charles' condition had worsened during the walk. The homeless man fell on his knees and coughed blood when he entered the hospital. The doctors immediately took him to a patient room to provide him medical treatment. Arthur had to stay outside to let them do their job._

_Two hours have passed since the medics took Charles in. The nine-year-old boy was anxiously pacing back and forth in the hallway. He was worried he was too late to bring Charles here in time. His tuberculosis was pretty bad when they made it to hospital. Arthur silently prayed for a miracle to happen. He wanted the doctor to come out and tell him they managed to stabilize his friend, cure him from his sickness and that he would live. He knew it wasn't so simple, but he still wished it was. He couldn't lose Charles, he just... couldn't..._

_Arthur snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the door to Charles' room open. The doctor came out and approached the boy._

_"Hey, uhh... how is he?" Arthur asked anxiously._

_The doctor formed an apologetic look and said, "I'm really sorry... We did everything we could to save him, but his tuberculosis was at too late a stage. He... he passed away about five minutes ago." Arthur's heart sank after hearing this._

_"No... T-tell me it's a joke... H-he can't be dead! Please... tell me it's not true!" the young boy pleaded as tears began to form in his eyes._

_The doctor closed his eyes and shook his head, showing he wasn't joking._

_"I'm truly sorry... We did everything we could..." he apologized sympathetically, before going back into the room._

_Arthur's world came crashing down at those words. He couldn't believe it. Charles was gone... The man whom he grew to care about was dead... The young boy fell to his knees and he covered his face with both of his hands as tears were running down his cheeks. He cried loudly, hoping it was just a horrible nightmare and he would wake up right after that... but it wasn't a dream. It was reality._

_The slightest bit of hope he had left for a better future died along with Charles. Once again, life came to spit on his face and took away the second person that meant a lot to him._

* * *

"... He had tuberculosis and he didn't say a damn thing to me until it was too late. I blamed myself for not trying hard enough to convince him to tell me the truth or go to the hospital when I first noticed he wasn't doing well. I didn't care about how much money it would've costed me or if my dad would've given me hell for it, if it meant Charles survived... but it was too late for that..." Arthur said sorrowfully, his hand covering his face, while Hat Kid was looking at him sadly and sympathetically. He sighed and continued, "I was devastated once more... It was like losing my mom all over again. Charles was... like a father for me. And not like that alcohol-addicted scum that calls himself my father... But a _true_ father. After he died... I didn't care about nothing anymore. I wanted to _die_. Just... put an end to my misery and be with my mom and Charles again. But... every time I tried to do it, I just... I couldn't. I didn't have the guts to do it... It was torture. I was trapped in a hellish life full of pain and misery, just because I could never grow the guts to kill myself."

Hat Kid stared at him in shock. Arthur wanted to die? Peck... She had no idea it was so bad to the point he wanted to commit suicide. This explains why Arthur didn't want her and DJ Grooves to help him when he got stabbed by the Conductor in the basement of Dead Bird Studio.

"After Charles' death, it was back to the usual routine: me getting up for school, listening to some long and boring classes, getting bullied, get out of school, getting bullied again on my way back, receiving threats from my father for not getting enough good grades, go to bed, have nightmares, and do it all over again the next day with eventually some failed suicide attempts. It never ended..." Arthur said in a dull tone. His expression then turned dark as he bitterly said, "You know... Johnny, his clique, and everyone else were a huge pain in the butt. But my dad? He was the worst. All he ever did was judge me, insult me, threaten me, and hit me. I couldn't get a peaceful moment in the house without him yelling at me, calling me worthless and pathetic, or something worse... I had to lock my room's door everytime and check if he was passed out drunk on the couch to have some quiet time. But if you want a better example on how horrible he was, I can give you one. It happened when I was ten, and it's the worst thing he did to me..."

* * *

_Earlier in the day during school, Arthur got an earful from his math teacher after the latter gave him back his 'test sheet' which turned out to be filled with insults toward the teacher. In reality, Arthur didn't write all of this; his own test sheet got switched with this one by someone else after class to prank him. The young boy tried to explain the situation, but as dumb as the teacher was he didn't listen and gave him an hour of detention._

_After going through it, Arthur was infuriated and went to find the culprit who was none other than Johnny, his arch-nemesis. After a short confrontation and the bully mockingly admitting he did it, the two had a fight. Arthur eventually managed to get the upper hand and kept punching Johnny's face repeatedly in a blind rage after pinning him on the ground, knocking the latter out. He didn't stop until one of Johnny's friends pulled him off of him._

_And unfortunately, the school principal came at that moment and called Arthur to his office. Johnny was in a bad shape after the fight and had to be sent to the hospital immediately. Arthur tried to defend his own case and pleaded the principal to not inform his dad about this, knowing how he would react. But the principal did it anyway, stating he had no other choice. The ten-year-old boy came back home with his anxiety at its highest. Sure enough, Henri was waiting in the living room and he was **NOT** happy._

_And now, here he was... standing in the middle of the room, not saying a word as he anxiously watched his dad pace back and forth while the latter glared at him like a lion about to jump on its prey at any time. An uncomfortable silence remained for a moment, before Henri finally spoke._

_"What the hell did I just hear from the principal, Arthur? You fought one of your classmates and sent him to the hospital?! What is wrong with you?!" he shouted angrily, causing Arthur to flinch._

_"J-Johnny started it. He switched my math test sheet with an insulting letter to get me into detention. Then, he taunted me and-"_

_"Enough with your excuses, Arthur!" Henri interrupted his son. "First, you keep bringing back bad grades, cost me a lot of money with all the times you had to go to the hospital because you were not careful enough... and now, you get into trouble and injure one of your classmates?! You trying to throw away your whole schooling? Is this how I raised you? How your MOM raised you?! She would be **ashamed** of you right now!"_

_Arthur's eyes widened in shock, hurt by the remark, and he gritted his teeth. His dad's reproaches set him off and he couldn't stop the next words as they came out._

_"She would be ashamed of me? And what about **you**? You didn't even know her right! You were never here for her or me, always missing out on important days, such as our birthdays! And when you did, all you ever done was belittle and rebuke us both for anything we said or did! You always go to the damn bar, drinking all day long without a care in the world! You never paid attention to how we felt! You're nothing but a **GODDAMN HYPOCRITE**, dad!" he retorted angrily. He soon regretted it when he saw his father's eye twitch and his fists tighten._

_"HOW DARE YOU, YOU BRAT! YOU DON'T GET TO TALK TO ME THAT WAY!" Henri shouted in pure rage, glaring angrily at his son and making the latter take a step back in fear. "You damn little... I'll teach you a lesson you're not ready to forget!"_

_Arthur's face went pale when he saw his father reach for a bottle of whiskey on the table nearby. He tried to run away but he wasn't fast enough. And then... **CRASH!** He yelled in pain as he felt his dad strike him in the back with the bottle, causing it to shatter on impact, and fell forward on the ground. Tears ran down his cheeks and he hissed in agony, feeling the shards of glass in his skin and the strong alcohol burning in his wound._

_"Such a waste of good whiskey..." Henri muttered angrily, dropping the head of the broken bottle on the ground. "Now I gotta call the hospital and that's more money I'll lose because of you! I can't believe I ever had you as a son! You're the **worst thing** that ever came into my life!" Arthur flinched at those words, shutting his eyes as more tears came out. No matter how hard his father hits him, his words always hurt the most. Henri pulled out his cell phone and began to dial the hospital number in it, not before giving a threatening look to his son. "And if you tell anyone about this, I'll kill you! You hear that?!"_

_"THEN **DO IT**!" Arthur shouted defiantly, looking back at his father with a death glare. "Just do it... please..." he begged, sobbing uncontrollably._

_Henri stared at him for a few seconds before shaking his head. "Forget it. I'll just call the hospital." He finished dialling the number on his phone and pressed the call button. He placed his phone on his ear and turned his back on his son, waiting for an answer from the hospital._

_Arthur looked around frantically and spotted the exit. He began to slowly crawl towards it in an attempt to get away from his father as far as possible. He winced as he did. The pain in his back was unbearable. Suddenly, he felt himself getting weaker and his vision began to blur. His movements slowed down even more until they stopped. His vision was becoming darker and darker. And soon, he lost consciousness..._

* * *

"... I woke up at the hospital three days later, still alive and with scars all over my back. The very same ones that the doctor told you and DJ Grooves about after I got stabbed. My father did this to me..." Arthur said, shutting his eyes at the memory of his dad hitting him with the bottle. "When he called the hospital, he managed to make it look like an accident. I had every opportunity to expose him but... I was too scared... and besides, I felt like no one would listen to me. So I kept my mouth shut, and he got away with this..."

Hat Kid formed a horrified expression which soon turned into an angry scowl. What kind of dad would treat their child like this? She wanted to hunt down Arthur's father and give him the beating of his life. Unfortunately, she couldn't since he was in another dimension. That peck neck got lucky...

"There, I told you everything you needed to know. That's just my life in a nutshell: struggle in a world where nobody wants me. I'm a mistake. Just someone serving as a punching bag for the first person to come... Someone whom even the Grim Reaper doesn't want. So I promised myself to never trust anyone again or even show my emotions in public. Now that I think about it, I kinda broke that promise when I became friends with you... How ironic, I can't even keep a promise I made to myself..." Arthur muttered, looking down depressingly. "So... go on ahead, laugh at my misery. Everyone does anyway..."

Hat Kid looked down sadly, feeling bad for the boy. She didn't know what to say... His whole life, Arthur went through tragic and traumatic events; losing the people he cared about, getting bullied and laughed at, hurt, injured... even by his own father. Now she understands why he always acted so cold, depressed, angry, insecure, and distrustful of other people. His life was exactly how he described it: hell. She also understands why he was always so reluctant on telling her about his problems. He was afraid of being judged. Even now, he still feels like she will judge him... but she won't. She's not like all of those people who disregarded him. She truly cares about him and she wants to prove it to him.

The young alien got on her knees and put her hand on Arthur's shoulder, making him look back at her. She could see that he was trying his hardest not to cry in front of her. No, she couldn't let him keep it all bottled up anymore, he had been doing that for way too long. In this situation, she knew what she had to do...

She gently wrapped her arms around Arthur, pulling him into a comforting hug. The young boy was taken aback by the girl's action.

"H-Hat Kid? W-what are y-you... Wha... Why?" he stuttered in a mix of shock, confusion, and surprise.

"I'm sorry," Hat Kid said softly and sympathetically, hugging him tighter.

Arthur was at a completely loss of words, struggling to process what was happening. He didn't understand. Why was she hugging him? She should be laughing at him like anyone else would. Why was she doing this? It didn't make any sense... It just... didn't... Tears were building up in his eyes and threatened to come out at any seconds. No. He couldn't afford to break down. Not here... Not now...

"It's okay... Let it out," Hat Kid whispered.

And that was all it took. Not being able to contain it anymore, Arthur began to sob. He wrapped his arms around Hat Kid and buried his face in her shoulder as he cried loudly. All the pain, all the emotions he had been keeping bottled up for years all came out at once. Losing his mom and Charles, the humiliation from Johnny and everyone else, all of the times he got hurt physically and emotionally... it all came out. Hat Kid remained silent and kept holding the crying boy in her arms for as long as he needed. Her left hand was rubbing his back, while her right hand was on his head, gently running through his brown messy hair.

The two children stayed like that for a moment. Arthur eventually stopped crying but he still didn't let go. He needed another minute or two. Hat Kid didn't mind that, simply continuing to hug him until he was ready to let go.

Eventually, the twelve-year-old boy pulled away from the hug, feeling better now that he got everything out of his chest. He stared at Hat Kid with a curious and newfound expression, as the latter smiled at him warmly. This little girl... she just let him talk about all of his problems, showed him sympathy, then she comforted him with a hug and allowed him to let his emotions out... all of that without judging him, being irritated, or anything. And even after that moment... she was still smiling at him. Now, there was no doubt anymore... She truly cared about him. She didn't see him as a tool to be dismissed at the first opportunity, but as a friend. A _true friend_. It was a feeling he forgot since Charles' death. It felt... great to have it again.

Arthur wiped the tears off his cheeks and smiled gratefully at Hat Kid. "You're a good kid. A good person. The best." His smiled dropped as he looked down. "Far better than I'll ever be... I don't deserve a good friend such as you."

In response, the small girl placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled at him to give him confidence. Then, she pulled out a paper and a pen, and wrote something before showing it to the boy. It said 'That's not true, Arthur. You did so many good things for the Mafia, Cooking Cat, the Conductor, DJ Grooves... even for you mom and Charles. But mostly... for _me_. You've been helping me out a lot with the Time Pieces and saved my life more than once. We had a lot of fun moments together, and you make me laugh with your jokes too. I'm really happy to have you as a friend, and the only thing I ever regret was treating you so badly the first time we met. I know who you are. You're a good person, Arthur. Don't let those mean peck necks tell you otherwise.' A heart was drawn under these words.

Arthur gave Hat Kid a surprised look. And suddenly, Charles' words rang in his mind.

_"You're a good kid, Arthur. Don't let those fools tell you otherwise."_

And then, a lot of memories went through his mind. All of the good moments spent with his mom and Charles, the smiles on their faces, the gratitude from the Mafia men and Cooking Cat after he saved them during the lava incident, the moments spent with the Conductor and DJ Grooves – their talk about western stuff and the apologies from the former, the gratitude from the latter for helping him in his movies and giving him a new purpose in movie making – the happiness and the smiles from his fans and the Moon Penguins, the apologies from the Express Owls for taking part in the Conductor's scheme, the visits he got at the hospital, and the gratitude and praises from Snatcher's minions after bringing back water to the dry river of Subcon Village and defeating the Toilet of Doom... And lastly, all of the moments where he saved Hat Kid's life, the times where he comforted her when she was hurt or sad, when he made her smile and laugh, and vice versa.

A feeling of happiness overwhelmed the young boy, replacing the sadness that was eating him up just minutes ago. Maybe Hat Kid was right, he did a lot of good deeds without ever noticing.

"Thank you, Hat Kid. Really... It uhh, it means a lot," Arthur genuinely said with a smile. Hat Kid nodded and smiled back at him, happy that she managed to lift the boy's spirit up. He looked back at his pillow bed, then back at the young alien. "Well, we got the sappy stuff out of the way, but I don't think I'm ready to go back to bed after all this. Not yet anyway..."

Hat Kid put her hand on her chin, thinking for a few seconds, then she snapped her fingers with a grin as she had an idea. She got up and ran up to her TV. She picked up a DVD movie box that was resting on its side, and ran back to Arthur before showing it to him. It was the movie that the Conductor gave to Arthur after the premiere of their first movie.

"Oh right. We still haven't finished watching it, have we?" the twelve-year-old boy asked, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Hat Kid nodded. With everything that happened during their stay in Subcon Forest, they had completely forgot to watch the rest. "Yeah, sure. I'm down for it. I promised the Conductor I would finish watching it, so let's do it," he said as he got up. Hat Kid smiled happily, before she went to put the disk in the DVD player and sat down on the pillow, as Arthur joined her and sat at her side.

The two children watched the rest of the movie together. When it was over, Arthur smiled as the credit rolled on the screen. It was really great! He would have to give his feedback to the Conductor the next time he sees him.

Suddenly, he felt something on his shoulder. He looked to the side and noticed that Hat Kid had fallen asleep, her head resting on his shoulder. The young boy wasn't too sure how to react at first. Then, with a bit of hesitation, he slowly wrapped his arm around the girl. For a moment there, he could've sworn he saw her smile.

Eventually, Arthur smiled as he watched her sleep. He was really lucky to have met her. She was like a light guiding him to the exit of an eternal abyss he had been stuck in for so long. He now felt like he had a purpose again, which was to help Hat Kid get all of her Time Pieces back. Sure, that's what he had been doing for weeks, but he always felt like he had no choice because of the promise he made to her. However, now he was doing it because she was his friend, and he hoped they would still be friends after this is done. It's not like he was about to go back to his home world anyway, since there's no way back as the Badge Seller stated. Good, he was better off in this new world anyway, even if he still felt like he didn't belong here.

But at the same time, he was scared that he'll lose Hat Kid like he lost his mom and Charles. ... However, she already went through a lot of adventures before, and she got out of scrapes more than once. Maybe things will be different with her this time. He hoped so at least...

Suddenly, the twelve-year-old boy yawned. It was late night and watching the movie made him feel sleepy again. His eyes began to slowly close, and it only took a few seconds before they closed completely. He fell asleep almost immediately... and no nightmares came during the rest of the night.

* * *

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! Phew... Boy, this chapter took a lot of time to write. It was exhausting, but I'm glad I got that out of the way. ^^; Anyway, yeah... lots of dark stuff and emotional rollercoasters here. And now, you got to see what happened to Arthur in his home world and what caused him to become the cold and snarky boy he is. But thankfully, he has Hat Kid to support him now and you will start seeing a more friendly and open-minded Arthur from now on. Don't worry, he still keeps his sassiness and snarkiness that we all like. It's part of his personality after all. ;) Anyway, tell me all what you thought of his past. I'm curious to see your reactions. ^^**

**Anyway, Alpine Skyline's ark will begin in the next chapter. Let's hope Arthur is ready to overcome his fear of heights, because he'll be in for a treat. ;)**

**Oh, by the way, I'm gonna try to do more artworks of Arthur, like I did with the cover and the drawing featuring his different appearances that I released on the 27th chapter. I'll make sure to post them in the A/N section when I'm done with them. ^^**

**And now, it's time to answer some reviews!**

_**To Hhhhhfishdowjsos:**_** That's how I felt when I played some of the hardest death wishes. And of course, Snatcher just kept taunting me over and over and over... *Two hours later* ...and over and over and over. Pecking Snatcher. XD**

_**To Rub37:**_** This chapter says it all. ^^; I'll try to remember that. ;) Anyway, thank you!**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Yeah, Alpine Skyline is not the most interesting ark to write or read about, but hopefully I'll be able to write some good scenes to make up for it. Anyway, thank you!**

_**To HexoSpikeZ:**_** *uploads this chapter* I think this might answer all of your questions. ^^;**

_**To Konan720 (Chapter 26):**_** Haha, true that! XD**

**Anyway, that's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!**


	36. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Arthur's eyes slowly opened as he woke up. He let out a yawn and stretched his arms a little. Once he was fully awake and his vision had finished adjusting itself, he looked around his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was Hat Kid sleeping at his side, her head resting on his chest and her arms wrapped around him. Upon seeing the still-asleep girl, the memories of last night all came back to him. Him having a nightmare before being waken up by Hat Kid, telling her about his tragic past, being comforted by the small girl, and watching the rest of the Conductor's movie on TV.

A smile appeared on the boy's face. He felt a lot better than yesterday thanks to Hat Kid. He was really grateful she let him talk to her about his problems. ...Well, _made_ him talk to be more specific, since he refused at first but she stubbornly wouldn't take no for an answer.

Despite that, he was actually glad she made him spill the beans. No matter how hard he tried keeping it all to himself in fear of being judged and hurt again, in the end, he realized that he simply couldn't and needed someone trustworthy enough to talk to about his past and problems. And against all odds, that someone is Hat Kid. Heh... Funny how she started off as an enemy, only to become the very one who understood and comforted him when he needed it.

The sound of a robotic beeping snapped Arthur out of his thoughts. He looked to the side and saw Rumbi looking at him with a happy expression on its LED face, seemingly greeting him.

"Morning to you too, Rumbi," Arthur greeted it with a smile. Rumbi responded by making more happy sounds before it went back to cleaning the room.

The young boy looked back at Hat Kid who was still asleep. As much as he wanted to let her sleep, they needed to get back to their Time Piece hunt as soon as possible. And besides, she was... kinda preventing him from getting up right now. He placed his hand on her shoulder and gently shook her.

"Hat Kid, wake up please."

"Five more minutes..." Hat Kid mumbled tiredly, refusing to move.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Come on, you lazy head. We gotta go hunt for Time Pieces," he insisted, shaking the girl once more.

"Hmmmhmmm..." Hat Kid whined stubbornly as she tightened her grip around Arthur, earning an unamused look from the latter.

Well damn, this girl can be really clingy sometimes. He needed to find a way to make her get up. Suddenly, Arthur smirked mischievously as he had an idea.

He leaned close to her ear, his hand next to his lips, and whispered, "Hey, Hat Kid. I think Cooking Cat left some cake in the fridge."

Hat Kid's eyes suddenly shot open and a huge excited, goofy grin formed on her face. She got up to her feet and darted off to the kitchen to check the fridge.

_'Heh, the cake trick always works,'_ Arthur thought as he chuckled. In truth, there wasn't any cake inside the fridge; he just made that up.

He got up and picked up his cowboy hat at the side of his bed before putting it back on his head. He then made his way to the kitchen to have some breakfast. Upon entering the room, he found Hat Kid standing in front of the open fridge, staring at him with an annoyed look and her arms crossed as her foot tapped on the floor.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Arthur apologized as he sat at the table. "I had to say something to make you get up, otherwise you'd still be clinging onto me like a koala on a tree until noon." Hat Kid rolled her eyes, before taking the milk out of the fridge and bringing it to the table for breakfast. "Oh and... Hat Kid?" The small girl curiously looked at Arthur as he rubbed his arm shyly. "About last night uhh... Thank you... really. I needed that." Hat Kid smiled and gave him a thumbs up, making the boy smile back at her gratefully.

After eating breakfast, Hat Kid went back to her room to change from her pyjamas to her regular outfit. Then she joined Arthur in front of the large window in the main room to discuss about the next place to go look for Time Pieces.

"Hmm, we checked most places on the planet. Mafia Town is cleared of any Time Piece, the movie directors told us the whole desert area has been picked clean too, and we just came back from Subcon Forest," Arthur pondered, his hand on his chin as he looked at the planet for any unexplored areas. "Which area didn't we explore yet?"

Hat Kid had her hand on her chin, a focused look on her face as she scanned the planet. She then noticed some mountain peaks going above the clouds north of the desert area. She smiled. They hadn't explored those mountains yet, maybe some of the Time Pieces fell down there.

She tapped her finger on Arthur's shoulder to get his attention and pointed at the mountains. Upon seeing them, the twelve-year-old boy grew a bit nervous as he remembered his fear of heights.

"Uhhh yeah, I'm not too sure about this... Maybe there's another place to check?" Arthur suggested nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. Hat Kid gave him a questioning look. "Or we could, I dunno... split up? I can go look somewhere else while you check out them mountains. You know... To cover more ground and... find the Time Pieces faster. I mean, it makes sense, right?" The purple-hatted girl crossed her arms and skeptically raised an eyebrown at him, clearly not buying his lie.

Noticing her disbelief, Arthur clenched his teeth as he grimaced, before sighing in defeat. "Fine. The truth is..." He rubbed his arm and took a deep breath. Well, he might as well just tell her... If he could trust her with his past, then he could trust her with this too. "I'm afraid of heights." A feeling of shame overwhelmed him as Hat Kid looked at him surprised. "I fell from a climbing wall during a sport session once, and unfortunately the safety cable wasn't properly attached to me. Nearly broke my arm. And ever since that day, I'm afraid of heights."

"Oh..." Hat Kid nodded understandingly.

"It's stupid I know... I'm aware we've been jumping from space for like a thousand times, but I got used to it and I know your way of landing is... well... _mostly_ safe. But when I'm on solid ground, standing above the void, that's where my vertigo starts acting out," Arthur explained shamefully. He sighed. "This really sucks... I'm really sorry, Hat Kid, but I can't go with you on that one. I'll just slow you down."

The small girl shook her head, smiling at him. Pulling out her pen and a paper, she wrote something and showed it to the boy. It said, 'Don't worry, I'll stay by your side to help you work on your fear if you need me to,' followed by a smiling face.

Arthur stared at Hat Kid with visible hesitation as he gave it some thoughts. He glanced at the mountains again before sighing. "Alright... let's go."

The young alien smiled and extended her hand out to Arthur, encouraging him to take it. He took a deep breath and grabbed it. Hat Kid then led him to the hatch and placed her hand on the handle, before looking at Arthur, waiting for him to give her the go. After a few seconds of hesitation, the young boy nodded, signaling he was ready. Then, Hat Kid opened the hatch and they both jumped off, aiming for the mountains.

* * *

The two children landed safely on a cliff side. The area was misty and a chilly wind was blowing, forcing the duo to rub their arms around themselves to keep themselves warm.

"Oh peck...!" Arthur cursed after he accidentally looked down off the cliff, causing his breath to quicken. His vertigo made him feel very dizzy and he almost lost his balance, forcing Hat Kid to catch him before he could fall backward. "O-okay, this was clearly a mistake!" He had to sit down a moment as he began to hyperventilate. Hat Kid crouched at his side and patted his hand to help him calm down.

_'Dammit. Come on... Breathe in... Breathe out...'_ he thought. Breathe in... Breathe out... Breathe in... Breathe out... Breathe in... Breathe out... "Phoof..." After successfully calming down, he looked at Hat Kid and said, "Alright... I'm good now. I'm good." The purple-hatted girl nodded and helped him up to his feet. "Thanks."

After nodding at him, Hat Kid looked at her surroundings and her eyes widened in awe at the sight before her. "Whoaaaa..."

"Ho-ly hell..." Arthur marvelled as well.

A bit higher on the cliff, standing on two large pillars were giant and imposing stone statues representing what looked like anthropomorphic goats holding a cane in their hands. Red banners were decorating the pillars and the vine-covered rock walls.

"Well, there's a sight for sore eyes," Arthur whistled, impressed by the architecture. "That looks ancient. I wonder who built this..." Hat Kid shrugged, curious as well. Then, she made a motion with her head to say they should go explore. "All right, I just hope we'll actually find your Time Pieces up there. This looks quite the climb."

The two children began climbing up the mountain, following the path illuminated by the torches and decorated with stone totems. They passed between the two pillars, staring at the goat faces engraved on them as they did. After that, they arrived before a wooden bridge, and at the end of it was a closed gate leading up to a tower.

"Guess we gotta cross here..." Arthur remarked, nervously staring at the platform linking the two peaks. He took a step back. "I-I don't know about this, Hat Kid. Is the bridge even sturdy enough to support our weights? I mean, it's seen better days..."

Indeed, the bridge looked old, a bit dilapidated, covered in moss, and a slight creaking sound could be heard, making it seem unsafe. Crossing this bridge in poor condition seemed risky, but it was the only way across. No flying hook or anything else. So bridge it is.

Hat Kid went forward and placed one foot on the first board, applying pressure to see if it could support her weight – which it did. Taking the risk, she took a few steps on the bridge, staying close to the edge in case it breaks. The boards creaked under her footsteps, but the bridge remained intact. So far so good. Now for the most dangerous part of testing... The small girl made small jumps on the bridge to test its sturdiness, making it creak even more.

"Whoa, careful there!" Arthur warned her anxiously as he raised his hands in front of him, ready to pull her back if necessary.

However, the bridge still held on. Despite its poor state, it still seemed fit to cross. Hat Kid smiled at Arthur and motioned for him to come. Though, the young boy hesitated and took a step back. He had a bad feeling about this.

"R-really, Hat Kid, I... I don't think it's a good idea," he stuttered, feeling his anxiety rising.

In hope of convincing him to cross the bridge, Hat Kid offered him to take her hand and hold it until they were across if that made him feel better. Arthur stared at her hand, then at the worn-out bridge with a lot of hesitation. Well, peck...

"I'm so gonna regret this..." he muttered as he slowly and hesitantly stepped forward to join Hat Kid. He stopped right before the first board, then he paused to take a deep breath. _'Now or never I guess.'_ He grabbed the girl's hand and tightly gripped it.

"Don't look down," Hat Kid advised him.

"Yeah thanks for the advice, Professor Hat Kid," Arthur snarked nervously, shutting his eyes to not be tempted to look down.

The duo began to move step by step on the worn-out bridge, both anxious as they did. None of them spoke a word as the creaking sound of the old boards filled the air with each step they took. Arthur kept his eyes closed and took deep breaths, letting Hat Kid guide him on the bridge and hoping he wouldn't start hyperventilating on the spot.

A board that Hat Kid stepped on suddenly snapped in half and fell down through the sea of clouds, causing her to gasp in alarm and quickly drive her foot back. Despite that, the rest of the bridge still held on.

"I-I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that," Arthur remarked anxiously, having heard the sound of the board snapping.

The two children walked over the missing plank and continued. So far so good... Hat Kid measured their progress on the bridge. They were almost to the other side. Just a little further...

**CRACK!**

"What was that?!" Arthur exclaimed as his eyes shot open, alarmed by the noise.

A constant creaking noise filled the air as pieces of boards broke and the plarform loosened. The children's eyes widened. The bridge was collapsing!

"RUN, RUN, **RUN**!"

The duo ran as fast as they could as more boards fell, jumping over any gaps in the crumbling bridge. As it completely fell apart, Hat Kid jumped and dove forward, tucking and rolling as she landed on the small solid surface before the gate. Arthur, however, wasn't as lucky as he didn't jump far enough.

"_**AAHHH CRAP!**_" he yelled, barely managing to grab onto the edge before he could fall to his death. His hat fell off his head, and by reflex he caught it with one hand while holding onto the edge with the other. This action caused him to look down to the cloud-covered void below. "AHH!" He panicked as he shut his eyes, not daring to move or do anything at this point in fear he would let go and fall.

"ARTHUR!"

A pair of hands gripped his arm tightly, causing his eyes to shoot open. He looked up and saw Hat Kid attempting to pull him up. With a grunt of effort, the purple-hatted girl used all of her strength to pull her friend up on the ledge to safety.

Eventually, she managed to pull him up on the surface. In his panic, Arthur crawled away from the edge until his back was against the gate. He breathed heavily, clearly shaken, as Hat Kid knelt down at his side and placed her hand his shoulder.

He tried to breathe in and out to calm himself down, but he found himself struggling to do so. For him, the air seemed to have gotten thinner than before and, while it was still breathable, it was harder to take deeper breaths. He felt like he was suffocating... from the moment his hat fell off his head- Wait... his hat!

"Hat Kid... my hat... hurry..." the young boy gasped, pointing his finger at his cowboy hat resting on the ground behind her. For unknown reasons, his instincts were telling him he needed it at once.

Without questioning, Hat Kid took it and handed it to Arthur, which he proceeded to quickly place back on his head. A feeling of relief went through him as he was able to breathe properly again. He didn't even question how wearing his hat made him breathe better, since he was too busy trying to breathe in and out. Breathe in... Breathe out... Breathe in... Breathe out... There, much better...

"Phoof... Dear lord..." Arthur sighed deeply as he calmed down. "Okay, that... That was something." He looked at Hat Kid and joked, "Well, at least I got my dose of exercise for today! Now I need my chocolate bar," making the small girl laugh. She was glad he was still making jokes despite the near-death experience they went through.

Hat Kid got up to her feet, helping Arthur in the process. The two children looked at the gap they just crossed. Now that the bridge was gone, there was no way back. All they could do was move forward. Their attention turned to the wooden gate blocking their way.

Arthur tried to push the gates open but they remained shut tight.

"Figures," he remarked, taking a step back.

While looking for a way to open it, his attention then drifted to the bell hanging to the side. Everything about it screamed 'not-so-secret gate control system'. Taking his chances, he pulled out his crowbar and used his Hookshot ability on the bell, swinging back and forth. The sound of the bell ringing filled the air, and soon after, the gates slowly opened.

As he dropped back on the ground, Arthur said, "No matter what, the gate systems of this world never fail to amaze me." Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

Then, the two of them went through the gate.

* * *

The duo walked up the stairwell leading up to the top of the tower. The wind had picked up during their ascension, forcing them to keep an hand on their hats so they don't fly away. As they went up, the children encountered a few spiders which they gladly proceeded to get rid of.

Eventually, they reached the top. The clouds around them had gotten slightly darker and thunder could be heard in the distance, although it didn't rain. Before them was a large stone statue with yellow horns and a corkscrew base, surrounded by four skull statues standing side by side around the top's base. Some stone totems were even set around as decoration. Other than that, there was nothing here. It was a dead end.

"What? That's it?" Arthur asked in disbelief, as he and Hat Kid glanced around the place. Nothing, not even a Time Piece in sight. "So we came here for nothing then..." He turned to Hat Kid and asked, "Got a spare Time Piece to bring us back to the spaceship?".

The young alien checked her pockets, but unfortunately she forgot to bring a Time Piece with her.

"Uhhh... Whoops?" she chuckled nervously.

"Oh, don't tell me you forgot to take a Time Piece with you!" Arthur hissed, giving her an irritated look. Hat Kid could only nod as she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "So we're stuck here then. Faaaantastic." He walked away in frustration. As he did, his eyes landed on something, causing him to stop. "Hey, hang on a minute. What's this?"

There was a wooden cross handle sticking out of the ground. Hat Kid joined Arthur's side, looking at it curiously.

"Think we can turn it?" Arthur asked her, only getting a shrug from her. "Well, let's find out." He proceeded to turn the handle until it was completely down. A click was heard, followed by the sound of thunder, and then the large horned statue screwed into the ground a little. "Huh, interesting..." The duo spotted two other handles dispatched around the top. "Let's turn them too and see what it does."

The children turned a handle each, causing the statue to screw into the ground completely. Suddenly, the ground rumbled, taking the children by surprise, as more thunders irrupted in the dark clouds. And then, something shot out of the horned statue and pierced through the clouds. It was a long rope decorated with colorful banners. It went on through the stormy clouds for a few seconds before it stopped with a clang. The duo approached it curiously.

"Is this some kind of zipline?" Arthur asked.

Hat Kid pulled on the rope to test its sturdiness. It was perfectly taut and was barely moving. Looking through the clouds, it seemed to be leading somewhere, but it was impossible to tell where exactly.

She pulled out her umbrella, staring at the grapple at the top of it, before looking at the zipline. A smile appeared on her face as an idea crossed her mind. Looking at Arthur, she tapped on the grapple of her umbrella with her finger, then pointed at the zipline, suggesting they use their Hookshot abilities to speed off on it and see where it leads.

"W-Whohoho, now h-hang on a minute! You lost your mind or something?!" Arthur protested, raising his hands as he took a step back. "That old bridge crumbling under our feet almost gave me a heart attack, I'm not about to play suicidal monkey on a damn zipline!"

In response, Hat Kid wrote something on a paper and showed it to him. 'It's okay. If it helps, you can hold onto me during the whole ride.' She accentuated her point by giving him an encouraging smile.

As much as he appreciated the offer, Arthur still hesitated as he glanced at the zipline. In his mind, everything about it screamed 'DANGER! INCREDIBLY HIGH RISK OF FALLING TO YOUR ULTIMATE DOOM! DO **NOT** TAKE THE ZIPLINE! DO NOT EVEN _**THINK**_ ABOUT TAKING IT!'.

"I-I don't know, Hat Kid. I-Is this thing even safe?" he stuttered nervously. Hat Kid could only shrug at that question, honestly not sure herself that it was safe. "Figures..." He remained silent for a second, then asked, "Say... what do you think the odds are that we may successfully make it to the other side – if it actually leads somewhere – without potentially falling to our deaths?".

"20 to 1," Hat Kid said, rubbing the back her head.

"Fair enough," Arthur mumbled.

He then saw his friend offer her hand to him. The look in the girl's eyes asked 'Do you trust me?'. He sighed. Of course, he trusted her. At this point he knew he could trust her with anything... but his fear of heights... God, why does it have to be such a pain in the butt?

_'Well... it's either take the zipline, or rot here for eternity, I guess,'_ he thought. With a lot of hesitation, he looked into Hat Kid's eyes and said, "A-alright, l-let's do it." Smiling, Hat Kid wrapped an arm around Arthur, and the latter tightly held her with both arms. "I hope you got strong bones though. I'd hate to break you in half."

The purple-hatted girl aimed her umbrella at the zipline, as Arthur squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the incoming intense ride while he continuously repeated, "This sucks, this sucks, this sucks...". She pressed the button, latching her grapple onto the rope. And then, the duo sped off into the horizon.

"_**PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECK!**_"

Arthur's scream rang out, nearly deafening Hat Kid, as he kept a bone-crushing grip around her. The strong wind blowing on the children's faces while they went through the clouds at the speed of a bullet. Arthur kept his eyes shut, too scared to open them up.

They kept going on the zipline for a moment. And eventually, they left the sea of dark, stormy clouds, and sunlight illuminated their faces. Out of curiosity, Arthur slightly opened one of his eyes, but he soon found himself opening both widely at the wonderful sight around him.

Gigantic goat statues resting on peaks were holding large logs with large golden bells hanging under them. The bells swayed, producing beautiful ring sounds as they danced in the wind. It was really beautiful...

"Wooow..." Arthur marvelled with his jaw dropped. He completely forgot about his fear of heights on the moment, hypnotized by the astonishing view. Hat Kid too was dazzled by the sight of the giant structures, staring at them with eyes of wonder.

After passing between the peaks, the two children looked before them and their eyes widened. In the distance was the summit of a mountain going above the clouds. And as they got closer, they could see a village built on said summit.

The zipline led them straight to it, and soon they reached the end. After the grapple let go of the zipline, Arthur screamed as Hat Kid purposely placed him underneath her while they fell. "Oof!" He landed face first on a wooden platform while the small girl landed on his back in a sitting position. Hat Kid giggled mischievously, earning an annoyed glare from the boy, then she got up, allowing her friend to do the same.

"Well, that's certainly one hell of a way to cross the sky," Arthur remarked as he patted the dust off himself. "Not sure I'll do it again though."

The two children took a look at the village. The houses were made of wood with leaves making up the roofs. Colorful banners, engravings, vines, and leafed branches decorated the small cliff faces. Water flowed from stone goat faces built on the sides of the cliffs, creating waterfalls going down through the clouds. Haystacks and piles of wood rested on the side of the wooden platform the duo were standing on. A stone well supplied water for the village. Wooden springboards gave access to higher grounds. And finally, at the very top of the summit rested a large horned stone statue similar to the one they saw earlier, with banners attached to it.

The villagers were as tall as the duo, and they wore Egyptian clothings, mainly consisting of cloaks, scarfs and hoods of different colors, giving them an appearance of desert nomads. Their clothings hid their faces, only letting their yellow eyes visible. Some of them chatted together, while others were either working, wandering around or just chilling in the village.

Arthur whistled in wonder and said, "Well I gotta say, these guys are well-settled." Hat Kid nodded in agreement.

"Hello, travellers! Welcome to Alpine Skyline!"

The two children saw a nomad approach them. He was wearing a tan and light brown cloak, scarf and striped sphinx-like hood.

"Oh, hello," Arthur greeted him, a bit shyly.

"Hi!" Hat Kid greeted him too, waving her hand.

"We don't get many visitors around. It's always good to see new faces once in a while," the nomad said with a smile hidden behind his scarf. "I'm Makhir, the chief of Goat Village. That's the one you're seeing before your eyes." He motioned his hand to the village. "You may call me by my name if you wish."

Well, he definitely seemed friendlier and more welcoming than the Mafia, the Conductor, or the Snatcher. It's a big change from their previous encounters with most people.

"Alright well, thanks for the welcome, Makhir," Arthur nodded. "I'm Arthur, and this is Hat Kid."

"A pleasure to meet you both!" Makhir said enthusiastically. He put his hand on his chin as he took a better look at the children. "Hmm, not to sound rude or anything, but... aren't you a little young to be out here on your own? You got parents or tutors with you?"

The two children looked at each other uncomfortably.

"Uhh... nah, we're on our own," Arthur admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

Makhir remained silent for a moment. "...And you both managed to climb your way up here all by yourselves?" he asked, blinking in surprise.

"We got our own ways," Arthur simply said with a shrug. Hat Kid nodded.

"Huh... if you say so," the village chief nodded. "Anyway, what brings you two to Alpine Skyline?"

"We're looking for some shiny, glowy hourglasses that fell from the sky," Arthur explained. "You seen any of those recently?"

"Shiny hourglasses, you say?" Makhir raised an eyebrow, putting his hand on his chin in thought. "Hmm... Well, now that you mention it, we did see some hourglasses fall from the sky a few weeks ago; four, more precisely. They belong to you?"

"Yeah, they do. So where are they?"

"They landed on four different peaks around Goat Village. The Birdhouse, the Windmill, the Twilight Bell, and the Lava Cake..."

"Lava Cake?" Arthur asked as he and Hat Kid gave the nomad confused looks.

"Basically, it's a succession of gigantic thick surfaces literally made of lava superimposed on each others," Makhir explained as he rubbed the back of his head. "We call it the Lava Cake because... well... it looks like a giant wedding cake entirely made of lava."

"Well, that sounds safe..." Arthur muttered sarcastically, exchanging a nervous look with Hat Kid.

"If you want to find those hourglasses, you gotta follow the flashing lights," Makhir pointed at one of the far-away peaks where a giant birdhouse stood on it. A flashing light could be seen in the distance. "That's the Birdhouse; a lot of crows live there, including a big one. Be careful if you're headed there, though. The crows love shiny things and they're very territorial. They won't take so kindly to you if you try to steal something from their territory."

"Yeah, we already came across them before. Nasty creatures," Arthur said, recalling their encounter with a few crows in Mafia Town. Those crows were very aggressive and attacked the duo on sight. So they could only imagine what it would be like to be inside a birdhouse filled with them.

The village chief nodded and continued, "In the opposite direction, there's the Windmill. However, it's not exactly your everyday-sized windmill. It's actually a very, _VERY_ tall windmill. And when I say 'tall', it's **TALL**." He emphasized by raising his arm high above his head to give the children an example on how huge this windmill is. "We had to abandon it a few years ago after crows and giant spiders swarmed the whole place. It hasn't been maintained ever since, so chances are the stairs are destroyed by now..."

"So we're gonna have to find another way to get to the top then," Arthur said to Hat Kid who nodded.

"For the Lava Cake, well... the danger is _pretty_ obvious I should say," Makhir grimaced, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yup, the risk of getting cooked like a piece of bacon on a Sunday barbecue."

"Heh... that's one way to put it," Makhir chuckled nervously. "Well, there should be some platforms there for you to stand on, but they're pretty unstable. So be careful when you do get on them."

"We'll keep that in mind."

"As for the Twilight Bell, it's umm... actually quite a mystery to be honest..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well... there's something off about it, but I can't really tell what," Makhir explained. "I never got close enough to it, but some nomads who did said you could see a void filled with stars inside it."

"Oh?" Arthur asked as he and Hat Kid gave the nomad a curious look.

"Yeah. Weird, right? What was even weirder is when the hourglass hit the bell, it sort of... disappeared. Just like that," Makhir snapped his fingers at the last word.

"Huh..." Arthur got close to Hat Kid's ear and asked in a whisper, "Think this one broke?". The young alien simply shrugged. It was a possibility, but Makhir did say that there was something off about the bell, so... who knows? Arthur turned his attention back to the village chief and asked, "You guys ever tried ringing it?".

"We can't. The clapper is too high for us to reach," Makhir shrugged.

The two children exchanged a knowing look. They could probably reach the bell's clapper with their Hookshot abilities. They weren't sure what it will do other than just ring, but who knows? This planet is full of surprises. Subcon Forest was one of them.

"Okay. So how do you get to the peaks?" Arthur inquired.

"We use ziplines to move between islands, but they're all retracted for now," the village chief informed. "To summon them, you have to blow in the horns. It's a little system that was set in place by the goats."

"Goats? What goats?"

Right after Arthur asked the question, large and loud footsteps were heard, causing the children to flinch in surprise. And just then, a very large, anthropomorphic, large-horned, brown-furred goat with white glowing eyes, wearing a red and yellow stitched tunic, a blue scarf and a brown belt with bells attached to it, walked past right behind Makhir; although the latter didn't turn around or react at all as if he had expected it. The giant beast stopped for a second to shake itself a little, without paying attention to the children or the village chief, before continuing on its way.

Arthur and Hat Kid stared at the goat with eyes and mouths wide open.

"_These_ goats," Makhir deadpanned.

"Whatta...?" Arthur blurted out, completely dumbfounded.

"Yeah, they always look a bit... intimidating when you see 'em for the first time," the nomad chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"You don't say."

"But I can assure you, they're harmless," Makhir reassured them. "Just make sure not to get in their way, they tend to be a bit pushy if you do that. Well, not like 'pushy' but... they give you a little shove."

"Okay, we'll... keep that in mind," Arthur nodded.

"Also, the goats are the only ones who can blow in the horns, because up this high the air is too thin for us nomads to do it. I mean, it's still breathable but not enough to take deep enough breaths; so we can't blow the horns ourselves." Makhir paused. "You both don't seem to be affected, though..."

"Hmm..." Arthur put his hand on his chin, curious as well. It's true. Despite being at such an high altitude, he and Hat Kid are actually able to breathe properly. He looked at Hat Kid questionally. "That's true. How come we're able to breathe up here?"

To answer his question, the purple-hatted girl wrote something on a paper and showed it to him. It said, 'My species simply requires a low amount of air to breathe, so it's no problem for me. As for you... I don't really know...', followed by a hatted emoji with a confused expression.

Arthur scratched his head. Then a thought came to him... Earlier after crossing the bridge, he had a panic attack from the near-death experience and struggled to breathe. However, the moment he put his hat back on his head, he was able to take deep enough breaths again.

But his hat alone can't normally help him do that, right? Perhaps it was tied to one of the badges he wore on it? It could be a theory but he wasn't sure about it yet, so he simply shrugged. He will have to ask the Badge Seller about it if he comes across them again.

"In any case, we got an horn at the top of the village that controls the ziplines leading to the four peaks," Makhir informed. "Normally, they're on all the time, but the goats recently retracted them and they only do that to protect Goat Village when they feel something bad is about to happen."

"Really? What incoming danger did they feel?" Arthur asked curiously as he put his hands on his hips.

"We don't know. They don't speak, so there's no way for us to tell what danger they felt."

Arthur and Hat Kid looked at each other worriedly. If the goats felt something bad coming and had to close off the ziplines leading back to Goat Village, it must be quite serious... But they _needed_ to get the Time Pieces that fell on the four peaks, and they couldn't really afford to wait; Mustache Girl was probably looking for them too.

"Look, uhh... If that's okay with you, can we summon the ziplines again?" the young boy asked. "We don't doubt your goats drew them back in out of possible safety... but them hourglasses, we really need 'em back. We'll try to be quick, and then you can close the ziplines again."

"Pleeeaaase?" Hat Kid begged, clasping her hands together and doing her puppy eyes to the nomad.

Makhir stared at the two children, his hand on his chin, pondering if he should allow them to temporarily reactivate the ziplines. While he did, the same goat from earlier passed right behind him again, going in the opposite direction from before. The sound of its large heavy hooves filled the air. Though, the village chief remained unfazed by that.

"Very well, you have my permission," he announced after some thinking (and some convincing from Hat Kid's irresistible, pleading eyes). "I'll take you both to the horn at the top of our village, if you'd like to follow me." He motioned for them to follow him as he began walking.

"Thanks, Makhir," Arthur smiled gratefully. Then, he and Hat Kid began to follow the village chief.

As they walked through Goat Village, the children caught the other nomads staring at them. Not in an hostile or skeptical way, but more out of curiosity. Makhir did say that visitors were a rare occurence in Alpine Skyline, so it made sense that their presence here would spark curiosity among the villagers. But despite that, they were rather friendly and welcoming, since they responded with either a nod or a wave whenever Hat Kid waved at them. They were like the exact opposite of the Mafia.

"You guys seem to accept strangers around despite not getting a lot of them," Arthur remarked.

"Oh, hospitality towards outsiders has always been one of our customs," Makhir explained. "What would be a world without kindness anyway?"

_'A world just like mine...'_ the twelve-year-old boy thought sadly and bitterly. Hat Kid gave him a sad look, knowing what he was thinking as she remembered his story. Not wanting to think about it, he decided to change the subject. "Your people always been living in these mountains?"

Makhir shook his head. "Nah, only for a few years," he said, before jumping on a springboard to get to higher ground. He continued talking when the two children joined him. "We used to live in the desert before, in a village called Sand n' Sails."

Well, that certainly explained their desert-themed clothings.

"Why did you move up here?" Arthur asked curiously.

"We had a long river that supplied our former village with water. But one day, it all dried off; life there became impossible because of it. So it was either move or die of thirst," Makhir explained sadly.

"Sounds rough..."

"Yeah... We had no other choice, but it was our home so... it kinda leaves a hole within you."

While Arthur and Makhir were busy talking, Hat Kid spotted something sticking out of a haystack on her left. Curious, she dug her hand in the hay and found a yarn in it, rolling it in her hands as she examined it. It was green and black, and a certain power coming from time itself could be sensed at the touch.

A gasp escaped her lips as her eyes widened, then a grin of excitement showed up on her face. If she was not mistaken, this type of yarn would allow her to make the most powerful hat created by her species: the Time Stop Hat. This hat allows the wearer to considerably slow down time, and therefore everything around but the wearer.

Only the most experienced and qualified of her species are allowed to wear this hat. But honestly, after all the adventures, missions and dangers she went through over the years? Eh, it's fair to say she's worthy enough to use it. Sadly, she needs 32 yarns to make a Time Stop Hat, and she only got 29 with the one she just found. She would have to keep her eyes open for more yarns.

She put the newfound yarn in her pocket and caught up with Arthur and Makhir who were already a bit further ahead in the conversation.

"...So the goats helped us build the village after we moved up here. We've been living together ever since, and they protect us from various threats," Makhir said.

"Yeah, I can tell you've feeling pretty sa- Wow!" The trio stepped out of the way as a goat passed between them, going in the opposite direction. "As I was saying... you guys must be feeling pretty safe with them around," Arthur stated, staring nervously at the goat.

"I know, right? Thanks to them, Goat Village is safe from the crows and the Lazy Paw Gang."

"The Lazy Paw Gang? What's that?"

"It's a gang of orange-furred cats wearing red headscarves that has been causing trouble around Alpine Skyline for a while. They're thieves who steal and sometimes attack people unfortunate enough to cross their path. Their leader is Askar, the tallest, strongest and most ruthless cat of the gang. Those who crossed his path are no longer with us today."

"Well damn... And folks wonder why I like dogs better," Arthur grimaced nervously.

"They live in Purrloined Village. It's located on a small peak near the Birdhouse; that's where Askar is holed up. Thankfully, you can avoid it on your way there," Makhir explained. "Though, if you're going to the old Windmill, there's another village that serves as a secondary base for them on Curly Tail Peak. They've got an horn at the top that you'll need to blow to access the Windmill, so be careful when you get there."

"All right, got it. Thanks for the information, Makhir," Arthur thanked him.

The village chief nodded, then he jumped on a springboard to get higher. Arthur and Hat Kid followed his action.

"Alright, here's the horn." Makhir stood near a large horn at the edge of the cliff. It was made of wood, and the end was red with engravings on it. "Just blow in it and it'll open up the routes to the four peaks."

"Simple enough," Arthur shrugged. He looked at Hat Kid and said, "You do the honors."

The small girl took position behind the horn. She took a deep breath and blew in it, her feet lifting off the ground during the action. It let out a low-pitched horn sound that echoed through Goat Village.

As her feet rested back on the ground, Hat Kid caught her breath. Then she, Arthur and Makhir watched as different colorful ziplines appeared and spread out to the various regions. A blue one to the Windmill, a yellow-orange one to the Birdhouse, a green one to the Twilight Bell, a red burnt-looking one to the Lava Cake, and a multi-colored one that leads to an unknown land.

"Quite ingenious," Arthur admitted, impressed by the mechanism. He turned to Makhir. "Thank you for your help."

"No problem!" Makhir smiled behind his scarf. "Oh, and if you need to spend the night here, the inn is right over there." He pointed at the building down on their right. "They also serve food if you're interested."

Arthur and Hat Kid nodded, grateful for the offer. Then, the two of them headed back down to figure out where to go first. After a short discussion, they decided the best way would be to split up to save time and retrieve the Time Pieces faster.

"So... we're doing this: I'm going to the Birdhouse and Twilight Bell, and you go to the Windmill and the Lava Cake. And then we meet back up here in Goat Village," Arthur suggested. "That okay with you?" Hat Kid nodded. "Good, and be careful when you get to Curly Tail Peak. From what Makhir said, these Lazy Paw Cats sound like they mean business." She gave him a thumbs up, saying she will be careful.

The young boy looked in the direction of the zipline leading to the Birdhouse and began to feel anxious. "Well... Guess it's back to Crazy-Ride Town on the zipline..." he muttered.

He felt Hat Kid's hand rest on his shoulder. When he looked back at her, she was giving him a smile as well as a thumbs up to encourage him. Arthur didn't say anything but simply smiled at her, appreciating her support. He sighed and pulled out his crowbar, staring at it for a moment before looking at Hat Kid with concern.

"Be careful out there, alright?"

Hat Kid nodded. "You too," she returned the concern, before making her way to the Windmill's zipline.

As he was about to walk away, Arthur caught a glimpse of someone – a boy, to be more specific – standing on top of Goat Village, watching him. He squinted his eyes, but the person vanished in some sort of dark purple portal before he could get a better look. The only detail he had been able to make out before the boy disappeared was the tie on his shirt.

"The hell?" he whispered, confused. Who was that? And what was that weird portal he had just vanished into? Arthur shook his head. He had no time to ponder on that, the Time Pieces were his primary focus right now.

Putting aside the mysterious boy he just saw from his mind, he made his way to the Birdhouse's zipline.

* * *

**A/N:**** Hey everyone! First chapter into Alpine Skyline's ark! I hope you all liked it! A lot of talk in this one, but it was necessary to start the act. ^^;**

**Now, for this chapter, I decided to make the wooden bridge before the gate risky to cross. Normally in game, you can cross the bridge without trouble but I wanted to add some action, so I came up with this. Also guys, meet Makhir the nomad chief of Goat Village. I figured I'd make one of the nomads a supporting character for this story, so here he is. ^_^ I also made sure to add a leader for the Lazy Paw Gang. He's only mentioned in this chapter, but you'll all get to see him soon.**

**Also, I made a little reference to OPFan37's OC, Tie Brat – the protagonist of his own AHiT story 'A Hat and a Tie in Time' – at the end of the chapter. He made a reference to Arthur in his last chapter (Chapter 26), so I decided to do the same to thank him. I recommend reading his story if you haven't; it's really, REALLY good! ^_^**

**Now to answer the recent reviews!**

_**To IcyStream:**_** Yeah, I feel you. ^^;**

_**To HexoSpykeZ:**_** Thank you very much! Heartbreaking and warming were the effects I was looking for, so I'm glad I managed to do that. I'm also very flattered you want to turn this moment into a drawing. Do as you wish regarding it and take your time, as long as you're having fun with it. ;) And I agree with you; sometimes, people just need someone to talk to and willing to listen and comfort them.**

_**To Purple1984:**_** I can't see the link. Fanfiction tend to remove half of external links to prevent spams and scams. If you wanna show it, make sure to put one or two spaces in your link to avoid this problem. ^^;**

_**To Mr. Mega1423: **_**Thank you so much! It means a lot. ^^**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Yeah, he went through a lot sadly. But like you said, Hat Kid and the others are here for him. As for the others, they will eventually find out. Not in this story though, but if I end up making a sequel, I'll mention it.**

_**To OddCombo:**_** Hmm... well, you're right on the facts that the story has a lot of similarities with the game's story and some other stories. However, sticking to the game's story was intended because I wanted to remain true to the details and the game itself.**

**Now, maybe I could have changed the game's dialogues to have something more unique, but once again I wanted to stick to the game's details. Maybe that wasn't the best plan, but I still wanted to go on like this, and the way I imagined the story included the game's dialogues too.**

**And honestly, with similar stories around, it's not so easy to stand out and be original. But I'm still trying my best to make it a little different while remaining within what I imagined.**

**No development? In which way? If you talk about character's development, I still think I managed to make at least some of the characters act differently from the beginning while trying my best to remain true to their personalities. I'm gonna take Arthur for example, he definitely acts differently compared to the beginning of the story.**

**And you say Arthur is extremely similar to Julia? Maybe they both went through rough events in their pasts, have a fear of heights, anxiety, and maybe I did use the same insult for the Mafia Boss ("jar-stache") because I figured it would also fit Arthur's personality. But I still think their personalities are different.**

**I'm gonna keep in mind what you said, but I'm gonna continue with how I imagined the story. That's okay if you don't like it. I understand that my story has flaws; it's clearly not perfect, and perhaps I'll make a few changes based on what you said if I feel like it's needed. In any case, thank you for your honesty and your feedback.**

_**To Nentendo Girl106734:**_** Thank you very much! It means a lot! It's true that they act like siblings, which is exactly what I planned. ;)**

_**To Rub37:**_** Yeah, I agree. Thank you very much! :)**

_**To Hhhhhfishdo:**_** Hello again! Ah yes, Snatcher has some good lines for this one. Classic Snatcher, by the way. XD**

**Anyway, that's all for today, folks! I hope you're all doing alright despite the Coronavirus situation that is hitting the whole world at the moment. Remember to wash your hands and stay safe, people. See you all in the next chapter!**


	37. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

_'Okay... Alright Arthur, you got this. You got this...'_

Arthur was standing at the foot of the zipline, mentally encouraging himself to use it. Well, _trying to_ at the very least... His anxiety was through the roof as he stared at the distance between himself and the other side of the huge gap covered by the sea of clouds.

He was already starting to regret his suggestion to split up. Of course, it was the most logical to do to find Time Pieces quicker... but his _**GODDAMN**_ fear of heights was such a pecking nuisance to him.

He wished Hat Kid was here right now; she'd know what to say to give him enough confidence to cross this vertiginous gap. Arthur sighed. To be honest, he felt extremely ashamed for being so dependant on the young alien when it comes to facing his fears. Just... come on, seriously. She was younger than him, and yet she got more guts when it comes to facing dangers and threats. That's embarassing... Hat Kid has better things to do than babysit him all the time. No, he had to try and overcome his fear alone without holding hands.

_'C'mon, you sissy. You can do this... You have to!'_ he thought, shaking his head in an attempt to pull himself together.

Taking a deep breath, the young boy aimed his crowbar at the zipline, his hand trembling and his teeth clenched. He shut his eyes, bracing himself for the intense ride, then he pressed the button, shooting out the hook and latching it onto the zipline.

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!**_" he yelled, gripping his crowbar as tightly as he could as he went off. He kept his eyes shut as the wind blew violently in his face.

Upon reaching the end, the hook detached itself from the zipline and dropped Arthur on the ground. "Ahh- Oof!" Since his eyes were closed, he couldn't anticipate the landing and fell face first on the ground, sliding forward a bit as his legs bent up and fell flat when he stopped.

"I hate ziplines..." Arthur groaned, his voice muffled because his face was burried in the ground.

"Whoa there! You okay, kid?"

The twelve-year-old boy lifted his head up – revealing his face slightly covered in dirt – and saw two nomads sitting around a campfire, near a green tent with yellow Egyptian symbols. The first one looked like Makhir, but he was wearing light and dark blue clothings instead, with the only exception being his pink scarf. The other one looked different; he wore red clothes, a pale yellow belt, and his hood was different, having a white feather on top of it instead of being sphinx-like.

They gave him a concerned look as they each held a stick with a sausage at the end above the fire to cook it.

"Like someone who just splatted his own face into the ground after a crazy ride on a zipline," Arthur deadpanned as he got up to his feet and wiped the dirt off his face. "Other than that, I'm good."

"That's your first time using the zipline, huh?" the blue nomad asked. Arthur nodded. "It's always a bit... _impressive_ on the first try."

"Funny way of saying 'scary, intense, and extremely dangerous'," Arthur remarked nervously.

"Well, you get used to it after a while," the red nomad shrugged. "Most important thing is to never look down and not be afraid of heights."

"Obviously..." Arthur muttered, looking at his feet. Not looking down, that he could do – when the situation doesn't force him to. But not being afraid of heights? That was more difficult to do. He shook his head, wanting to change the subject. "So what are you guys doing here? You camping?"

"Uhh, kinda sorta... We've been stuck here for the past couple of days after the goats withdrew the ziplines," the blue nomad explained as he rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably.

Arthur's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah, we went for a hike across Alpine Skyline, and when we came back the ziplines were gone," the red nomad explained. "Good thing we brought this tent and some food with us to keep us going."

"Yeah," the blue nomad agreed. "This hadn't happened in years – the ziplines being removed I mean. The goats must've felt some kind of danger nearby."

"So it seems..." Arthur placed his hand on his chin in thought. This 'danger' that the goats apparently felt sure intrigued him. Whatever it was, he had to make sure that he and Hat Kid were done retrieving the Time Pieces as quickly as possible so they can withdraw the ziplines again to keep Goat Village safe. "Any idea what kind of danger it could be?"

"No clue," the red nomad shrugged. "Well, the ziplines are back on now. So whatever it was, it must be gone."

Arthur nervously scratched his head. "Actually, uhh, me and my friend are the ones who drew them back out." The two nomads looked at him surprised and questioningly. "Don't worry, the village chief gave us permission to do it. We're just trying to retrieve the hourglasses that have fallen around here."

"Oh, they're yours?"

"Yeah, we're trying to be quick about it. Hopefully, we'll be done before the end of the day and then we'll draw the ziplines back in for y'all."

The two nomads nodded understandingly. "So you're headed to the Birdhouse then, right?" the blue one asked.

"Yup."

"Then it's right this way." The nomad pointed at the path on the left. "You gotta go through the Yellow Band Hills first. There's a zipline up ahead that splits in two paths." He paused to check the cooking of his sausage before holding it above the fire again. "One of them normally leads to those hills, but I recall this path has been closed too. To draw it out again, you gotta take the zipline to the Serpentine Bird Peak and blow the horn at the top."

Arthur sighed. More ziplines... Couldn't they have built bridges instead? ...Then again, seeing how far away these peaks were, it would've probably taken too much time and resources to build them. Not to mention that they would have needed to add pillars to support the weight, and at such altitude... it was clearly not possible.

Seems he had no choice but to get used to it, even if it was easier said than done.

"Alright, guess I'll go that way then. Thanks for the information," he thanked them.

"No problem," the blue nomad nodded.

"Oh wait! There's something you should know first," the red nomad interrupted. He pointed towards the path on the right. "This way leads to Purrloined Village, the Lazy Paw Gang's den. If you wanna hang on to your belongings or even your life, stay clear of this place at all costs. These thief cats will give you one heck of a scratching and they don't care if you're a kid or not."

In the distance, Arthur could see the village in question on a secluded cliffside. Several tall pillars covered with cat paw engravings stood around it, with large rocks shaped into cat heads resting on them. A red burnt-looking zipline, similar to the one leading to the Lava Cake, was the only access to it.

"Yeah, the village chief told us about them," Arthur nodded, crossing his arms. "Well, I surely ain't gonna take the risk of getting turned into cat food."

"Yikes, I know right? Some of our friends came back with scratch marks and half of their pons missing. It wasn't pretty," the red nomad grimaced.

"Brr..." the blue nomad shivered at the thought.

"Jesus..." Arthur grimaced nervously. He remembered getting scratched by a feral cat back in his home world. That's one of the reasons he prefered dogs, and the existence of these criminal cats here just adds another reason to the list. He'll make sure to stay away from Purrloined Village. "Thanks for the heads-up. I'm gonna get going now. You guys should probably head back while this thing's still on." He motioned his head to the zipline leading back to Goat Village.

"No problem! We're just gonna finish eating lunch, then we'll pack our stuff and leave."

"Alright, good day."

"You too, kid! And watch out for the crows, they're quite feisty!" the red nomad said, before taking a bite of his cooked sausage.

Arthur nodded and waved goodbye to the two nomads who waved back. He walked a bit further ahead, only to freeze in place when he arrived at the edge of the cliff.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me!" he grumbled in frustration.

The 'path' ahead was a huge gap with only tightropes to stand on as the only way to get across. Another ordeal for his fear of heights. That was the last thing he needed...

* * *

After using the zipline, Hat Kid arrived on a different peak. Not too sure where to go next to reach the Windmill, she decided to ask for directions to a nearby nomad.

The latter informed her she was currently at the Goat Outpost Peak and she must blow the horn at the top to open up a new path on the zipline. It would take her to the Windy Passage, and after that she would have to go into the Lazy Paw Gang territory to summon the last zipline and make it to the Windmill. Lastly, he warned her about some of the bridges on this peak being 'old' and told her to be careful when crossing them.

The young alien thanked the nomad and began her ascension to the top of the peak, using the wooden ramps and the tightropes. Like the nomad said, she had to cross some old and deteriorated bridges, which were thankfully shorter than the one she crossed with Arthur earlier. She ran as fast as she could as they collapsed under her steps and managed to get across each time.

On her way, she found a yarn inside a wooden birdhouse and took it. Just two more and she'll be able to make that Time Stop Hat. Ohh, she couldn't wait!

She continued her way up, fighting off any crows and raccoons that stood in her way. And eventually, she reached the top. After she blew in the horn, a new path appeared on the zipline she came from. It was leading to a cliffside in the distance; probably the Windy Passage.

Nodding in satisfaction, she went back to the bottom by using her Ice Hat ability on a blue trapdoor. She then rode the zipline back to Goat Village, then hooked onto it again. When she neared the junction, she swung on the left, making the grapple of her umbrella take the new path.

She landed at the cliffside and the sign confirmed it was the Windy Passage. The first thing she noticed was the presence of strange purple flower buds under a small windmill. Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, she approached them and knelt down to get a closer look.

"Hmm..." Hat Kid frowned, intrigued by the flowers. She had no idea what kind it was. Some sort of weird tulip, maybe? They haven't bloomed yet, so she couldn't tell for sure.

Curious, she began to move her finger forward to touch them, but she flinched when she heard loud and heavy footsteps behind her. She suddenly gasped when she felt a large and strong hand on her shoulder and jolted around in surprise.

Her jaw dropped when she came face to face with one of the goats who still had its hand on her shoulder. The large creature shook its head as it looked at her with a seemingly worried expression. It appeared to be telling her to not touch the flowers.

Hat Kid rose an eyebrow in confusion before looking back at the flowers. Why didn't the goat want her to touch them? Were they poisonous? Or maybe it didn't want her to risk damaging them? It was hard to tell since these big goats don't talk. Either way, she decided to listen to it and stepped away from the flowers. The goat seemed satisfied and walked away, his loud hoofsteps going along with it.

Hat Kid shrugged and looked up at the cliff before her. It was too tall to reach the top, even with a double jump. However, this windmill could help... She hooked onto one of the blades and it slowly raised her up to the top of the cliff.

As she continued her way towards the Windmill, she wondered how Arthur was doing and hoped he wasn't having too much trouble on his own.

* * *

"Whoaaa, WOW! Whoa, okay now, easy there! Easy..."

Arthur wiggled a little as he tried to balance himself on the tightrope. He had managed to get past the first three tightropes and was currently standing on the last one.

The young boy was extremely tense right now, his teeth clenched and a grimace on his face. Here he was, standing who-knows-how-many feet above the ground hidden by the sea of clouds to get to the other side of this huge gap. He was thankful for the badge on his hat that gave him the same abilities as Hat Kid to help him stand on tightropes. Otherwise he'd probably have fallen down the moment he jumped on the first tightrope.

After regaining his balance, Arthur looked at the cliff before him. He was almost there, just _one_ good jump. Holding his breath, he bounced slightly on the tightrope to gain some height for a jump.

"Alright, three... two... one..." And then, he jumped and dove forward. "_**AAAAH- **_Oof!" He safely landed flat on his stomach on top of the cliff. "Holy effin' hell..." He breathed heavily to try and recover. Crossing a whole gap with only tightropes to stand on has got to be one of the craziest things he ever did in his life. Sure, he did a lot of crazy stuff these past few weeks, but this one's got to top it all.

After calming down, he got up and looked at the gap behind him. He was still a bit shaken but he felt something that he rarely felt... it was _pride_. Pride for crossing such a dangerous obstacle despite his fear of heights. He may have jumped over lots of gaps in this world but nothing such as high as this. It brought a smile on his face and gave him more confidence for the rest.

Speaking of which, his next step was to use another zipline. According to the nomads, this one leads to the Serpentine Bird Peak.

Arthur took a deep breath. "Alright, let's do this again," he said to himself with a look of determination, before aiming his crowbar at the zipline and hooking onto it.

He went off at high speed, but this time he forced himself to keep his eyes open in order to anticipate his landing. And upon reaching the end, he positioned himself correctly and landed on his feet. It wasn't perfect but at least he didn't land on his face again.

_'Alright, I think I got this now,'_ he thought with a smile.

Now back to the task at hand; the nomads said he had to blow the horn at the top to summon a new zipline to get to the Yellow Band Hills. He looked up, and sure enough, there was a red horn at the top of this peak. With a nod, he made his way to the top, going up the ramps, using the springboards, and knocking out any crows and raccoons on his way.

However, the last obstacle was an old bridge in a poor state. Flashbacks of the bridge he crossed with Hat Kid earlier came through his mind, making him feel extremely anxious. Nonetheless, he pulled through in order to make some progress and ran across the bridge as it collapsed under his steps, successfully making it through.

"Seriously... *huff* Can't they just... *huff* fix their damn... *huff* bridges?" Arthur huffed, trying to catch his breath.

He shook his head and jumped on a springboard to get to the horn. He approached it and blew in it, producing the same low-pitched sound from the horn in Goat Village. While he caught his breath, he saw another path appear on the zipline he took to get here. It went to some hills in the distance, which he assumed were the Yellow Band Hills.

_'A zipline junction... Ingenious I guess,'_ the young boy thought.

He then made his way back down to the zipline. While he did, he wondered how Hat Kid was doing on her side and hoped she will be okay when heading through the Lazy Paw Gang's territory.

* * *

Hat Kid stood at the edge of the highest point of the Windy Passage. One hand on her hip and the other above her eyes to cover the sunlight shining on her face. Secluded behind small cliffs was the Old Windmill. Its tall and imposing white structure with large, rotating red windmill blades at the top stood high in the blue, slightly star-filled sky. And behind those blades shone a bright light, undoubtedly produced by the Time Piece.

From her position, the purple-hatted girl was impressed. Makhir was right, this Windmill was **HUGE**! Like _**massively**_ huge! It'll be quite the climb to get to the top of this building, especially if there's no stairs.

However, the peak was currently out of reach. She remembered Makhir and the nomad from earlier telling her she had to blow an horn on Curly Tail Peak, where a part of the Lazy Paw Gang was holed up, to summon a zipline leading to the Windmill.

Looking on her left, she noticed a telescope pointing towards another peak with a village on it. Judging by the big rocks shaped into cat heads and the large paw engravings on the cliff faces, that must be Curly Tail Peak. Well, if she was headed into enemy's territory, it might be a good idea to do some recon from afar first.

She walked up to the telescope and looked through it. Sure enough, she could see the horn at the farthest end of the village. As she took a look around said village, she noticed some graffiti of the gang members on the walls and such. No cats in sight though. Strange...

However, she could see two nomads at the entrance. One of them seemed to be tending to the other. Was the latter injured or something? Deciding to investigate, Hat Kid used her Ice Hat ability on a nearby blue trapdoor to reach the yellow paw-printed zipline and hooked onto the latter.

Upon landing at the entrance, she ran to the nomads. Both had blue-colored clothings. One of them was wearing a sphinx-like hood, and the other had a normal hood with a feather on top of it. The latter looked like a mess; some parts in his clothes were ripped off and he had scratch marks all over him. He was sitting against the tree where the zipline was attached, while his friend tried his best to bandage his wounds. An open first aid kit laid down at the latter's side.

"Oh, hey kid," the nomad with the sphinx-like hood greeted. "I wouldn't go that way if I were you. My friend here got attacked while wandering around the Lazy Paw Gang's village."

"They stole... my mother's pendant..." the injured nomad said weakly. "I was just trying to- Ow! - get it back..."

"Easy there, buddy," the sphinx-like hooded nomad said worriedly as he wrapped a bandage around his friend's chest. He looked back at Hat Kid. "These cats are sneaky. They hide in the shadow and you can't see them until they steal something from you or attack you. They did a real number on my friend."

The injured nomad looked at Hat Kid weakly. "They got my mother's pendant... Stole it from her about... a week ago." He winced when his friend applied some bandage on a painful wound.

"Sorry, buddy."

After the pain went away, the nomad continued, "I thought... I could... handle them. But these cats... There were so many... and they took me by surprise... I was lucky to escape." He sighed sadly. "It was a fool's errand... There's no hope in getting anything... back from them..."

Hat Kid looked at the injured nomad sadly, feeling bad for him. He tried to do something heroic and retrieve what was stolen from his mother, but it backfired. These Lazy Paw Cats are so mean! She hadn't met them yet and she already hated them.

Placing her umbrella on her shoulder, she turned to the village and said with a determined glare, "I'll get the pendant back."

The two nomads looked at her with widened and horrified eyes.

"No kid, that's suicide! See what they did to him?" the sphinx-like hooded nomad warned her in a worried tone, motioning his hand to his injured friend. "They'll do the same to you, whether you're a child or not!"

Hat Kid only responded by doing a couple swings with her umbrella as to say 'it's not my first time fighting bad guys'. Then, she walked towards the village.

"Kid, no!"

Ignoring the nomad's attempts to stop her, Hat Kid entered the Lazy Paw Gang's territory. Umbrella still in hand, she slowly made her way through the village. She remained quiet as she scanned her surroundings, trying to listen to any suspicious sounds. The place was quiet. _Too quiet_. She couldn't help but feel like she was being watched though, despite not seeing anyone around.

And indeed, some feline figures were hiding in the shadow, watching the girl carefully walking through the village. Some whispers and snickers were exchanged between them as they waited for the perfect moment to strike.

Hat Kid stopped in the middle of the village, a focused frown on her face as she tried to detect the presence of those evil cats by any ways possible. A single sound or even a glimpse... Nothing, though. At some point, she began to lower her guard as she thought of the two things she wanted to do here: blow the horn to open up the path to the Windmill and retrieve the pendant that belonged to the nomad's mom.

That's when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching rapidly from behind her. Before she could react, someone suddenly shoved her on the ground, causing her to yelp. A snicker was heard and she bounced back up on her feet, getting in a fighting stance as she turned to face the one who shoved her.

It was an orange and white cat wearing a red headscarf on his head, another red scarf around his neck, a brown belt, and brown boots. His outfit clearly showed he was one of the Lazy Paw Gang members. The cat made a snide smile as they held a certain purple hat in their paw.

Hat Kid gasped and placed a hand on her head. Her hat was gone! That mean cat just stole it from her!

"HEY!" she glared angrily at the cat. The latter only chuckled at her.

Suddenly, she could hear more cats approach her from behind. This time she anticipated that and swung her umbrella around, successfully hitting her attackers across the face and knocking them out.

She turned back to the spot where the cat who stole her hat was, only to find it empty. She looked around frantically and eventually spotted the culprit running further in the village.

"Catch me if you can, kid!" the cat shouted tauntingly at her.

Gritting her teeth in anger, she ran after him. The cat ran up the wooden ramps, going higher and occasionally taunting Hat Kid while she continued chasing him. On the way, the small girl got ambushed by a few other gang members who managed to steal some of her pons and tried to attack her with their claws. However, she quickly figured out their tactics and disposed of them all.

Eventually, she caught up with the thief cat who was waiting for her at the top of the village, near a large red house with a large board shaped into a cat face above the door.

"Want your hat back, kid?" the cat taunted with a sly grin, waving the girl's top hat in his paw. He placed it on his head and got in a fighting stance. "Then **come and get it**!" He bent his fingers back and forth to tell her to come at him.

As she readied herself, Hat Kid noticed something around his neck. A certain necklace with a heart-shaped ruby dangling downwards. A gasp escaped the girl's lips. It was probably the pendant that belonged to the nomad's mother. This cat was surely the one who stole it.

Okay, now that does it! She'll make sure to give that mean cat the beating he deserves!

Hat Kid made her first move, running at the cat and swinging her umbrella twice in his direction. However, the Lazy Paw Cat dodged the first swing, then jumped over the girl at the second swing and landed behind her. He tried to swing his clawed paw at her, however, Hat Kid anticipated this and rolled out of the way.

"Wow, you got quick reflexes! I'm actually impressed!" the cat said, before grinning excitedly. "This should be fun!"

He did a front flip, landing in front of the hatless girl, then he began swinging his claws and legs at her, attempting to scratch and kick her. Hat Kid dodged and blocked his attacks with her umbrella – and sometimes her arms if it's a kick – then counterattacked by swinging her weapon and trying to land a few kicks on him, which the cat dodged or blocked.

After a struggle between the two, Hat Kid eventually managed to whack the cat with her umbrella, causing him to hiss and pushing him back. The thief cat dug his claws in the ground to stop his sliding caused by the hit, creating a scratch trail on the ground.

Glaring furiously at the child, the cat jumped on top of the house and whistled loudly. Suddenly, the door opened and a few Lazy Paw Cats ran out of the house, lunging at Hat Kid. The small girl did her best to dodge their attacks. One of them almost scratched her, but she rolled out of the way just in time. She then proceeded to beat each of them up, either by whacking, kicking them in the face or doing a homing attack on them.

After seeing his allies down, the 'leader' growled and jumped from the house's rooftop and onto the ground. He smirked before turning himself invisible. Hat Kid looked around frantically, attempting to figure out where the cat went. After a few seconds, she felt a presence behind her and spinned around to perform a back kick, knocking the thief cat on the ground before he could hit her.

The cat growled angrily, before bouncing back on his boots. "Why you little...!" He then swung his claws at the girl more rapidly and aggressively, eventually managing to scratch her violently on the chest.

"Ow!" Hat Kid yelled as she fell on her back, dropping her umbrella in the process and clutching her chest in pain. She looked down to see her purple shirt torn where she got hit, revealing a large scratch injury on her chest.

The cat grinned evilly in satisfaction. He got on all fours and pounced on the girl, attempting to finish her off. Reacting quickly, Hat Kid raised her legs up, stopping the cat with her feet, and pushed him over and behind her.

While the Lazy Paw Cat tucked and rolled upon landing, Hat Kid grabbed her umbrella and got up before turning around to face her foe, while clutching to her injured chest. The two glared at each other with hatred as they sidestepped in a circle like lions ready to pounce on their prey.

The thief cat got on all fours again, then charged at Hat Kid. However, she stepped aside and whacked him with her umbrella. He hissed and tried attacking her again, but the girl dodged and hit him across the face again. The cat swayed back and forth a little, stunned by the hit.

"AAAAYAH!" Seizing the moment to strike, Hat Kid jumped forward and whacked the cat across the face once more, making him spin on the spot and fall on his back. Her top hat fell from the cat's head and rolled at her feet. The small girl wore a happy smile as she picked it up and placed it back on her head.

The Lazy Paw Cat groaned as he rubbed his head to ease the pain, his eyes flickering ever so slightly. Fear then filled his eyes when Hat Kid began to slowly approach them, gripping her umbrella tightly with one hand, clutching her chest with her other arm, and a scowl on her face. He crawled away until his back was against the wall of the house.

"Hey! W-w-wait! D-don't hit me please! I-I give up, okay?!" he begged, raising his arm above his head protectively as sweat rolled down his forehead. Hat Kid pointed her finger at the pendant around the cat's neck, glaring firmly into his frightened felin's eyes. "Y-you want the pendant? S-s-sure, take it! It's yours!" The cat removed the pendant from his neck and tossed it at Hat Kid's feet.

Smirking in satisfaction, the young alien picked it up and put it in her pocket. After that, she looked on her left and spotted the horn at the top of a ladder. She began to make her way towards it, turning her back on the thief cat.

Grinning slyly, the latter got up and ran to attack her from behind. Unfortunately for him, Hat Kid had expected his move. With a smug face, she stepped aside, causing the cat to miss her and comically faceplant in the cliff wall. He slid down the wall before falling backwards and passing out on the ground.

Hat Kid laughed at the cat's misfortune, then she made her way up the ladder. Standing behind the horn, she took a deep breath and blew in it. After that, she looked back at the Windy Passage, and saw a blue zipline appear and connect to the Windmill. She smiled happily, putting her hands on her hips.

Now that she opened the path to Windmill and got the pendant back, she made her way back down, making sure to blow a raspberry at the still-unconscious Lazy Paw Gang member, and joined the two nomads at the entrance of the village.

"Kid, you alright?" the sphinx-like hatted nomad asked with concern. Hat Kid nodded with a smile, although the nomad saw her clutching her chest. The edges of the scratch injury were unhidden by the arm. "You're hurt!"

Hat Kid looked down at her chest and shrugged, saying it was nothing. She then pulled out the pendant she retrieved from the cat. The two nomads' eyes widened upon seeing it.

"You... you got it! You got my mom's pendant back!" the injured nomad exclaimed happily. Hat Kid nodded before handing it back to him. The nomad had a tear running down his cheek as he stared at the pendant in his hand, before giving a grateful smile to the girl. "I... I don't know what to say, kid... Thank you. Really."

The purple-hatted girl nodded with a smile, placing her hands behind her back, as to say 'you're welcome'. She then winced, clutching her chest, as the pain manifested itself in her wound again.

"Here, lemme try to fix you up, kid. It's the least I can do," the sphinx-like hatted nomad offered, pulling out a few bandages from his first aid kit.

Hat Kid nodded, still grimacing, and sat down on the ground to let him do his thing. Kneeling down at the child's side, the nomad raised her shirt so he could see the wound and began wrapping the bandages around it.

"Nghh..." the small girl winced as the bandages were applied on her injured chest. It stings a little, but she did her best to ignore it and relax.

"Good thing the scratch ain't too deep. You're gonna be fine," the nomad reassured her, earning a grateful smile from her. "I'm... really impressed that you got out of there in one piece, and with the pendant in hand." He looked at the girl curiously. "You're no ordinary kid, are you?"

Hat Kid chuckled a bit shyly but proudly at the same time. It might not look like such a big deal where she comes from, but it certainly was the case on this planet and many others she visited before. Her species is stronger and more resistant than regular humans. Despite that, she was considered as one of the best elements by her superior and many other people from her species; a status she treasured without being too cocky about it.

"In any case... thank you for doing this. My friend was really desperate to get his mom's pendant back."

"She's gonna be thrilled. Mom was really devastated when she lost it to this bunch of feline thieves, but we got it back thanks to you," the other nomad said, smiling at Hat Kid.

"Say, what's your name, kid?" the sphinx-like hatted nomad asked curiously.

"Hat Kid," the small girl answered with a smile.

"Well, that's a real pleasure to meet you! I'm Dr. Alkhar, Goat Village's medic. And that's Seth."

"Happy to meet you, Hat Kid!" Seth smiled.

Eventually, Dr. Alkhar was done bandaging the girl's wound. "There, all done!"

Hat Kid looked down at her chest and touched it, feeling the fabric of the bandages wrapped around it. It didn't hurt as much as before. She pushed her shirt down, glancing at the scratch holes in it. Right, she would have to sew it back together once she returns to the spaceship.

She looked back at the doctor and smiled. "Thank you."

The nomad nodded, placing his medical material back in the first aid kit. He glanced at Seth for a second, before looking back at Hat Kid. "Uhh, if you're up for it, could you possibly help me carry him back to the village, please? The Lazy Paw Gang messed him up pretty good and in his condition I don't think he can walk properly."

"Oh no, that's alright. I can mana-" Seth tried to get up, only to stop when pain manifested itself in his wounds. "Ow ah...!" He immediately sat back down. "Okay, nevermind... I could definitely use a hand," he admitted shamefully.

Dr. Alkhar nodded. "All right. So I'm gonna carry him by the arms and you kid can carry him by the legs-"

"**WHOA!**"

Both nomads were shocked and dumbfounded when Hat Kid easily picked Seth up with one hand while putting her free one on her hip proudly. She grinned. It was always funny to see people's reaction to her superstrength.

"Wow... okay then. I, uh, guess you don't really need my help after all," Dr. Alkhar chuckled, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"You were right, Alkhar. She's no ordinary kid," Seth remarked, still trying to process the fact a little girl was able to carry him with one hand, and causing Hat Kid to giggle.

"Heh, yeah... Anyway, let's go."

Dr. Alkhar made his way to the zipline, used a grapple of his own to hook onto it and sped off. Hat Kid followed him, holding her umbrella in her hand to grapple onto the zipline while keeping her other arm wrapped around Seth so he doesn't fall off.

After climbing down the Windy Passage, they used the other zipline to go back to Goat Village. Dr. Alkhar led Hat Kid to his house and suggested she lies Seth down on his bed, which she did.

"I'm gonna keep him in here until he gets better," the doctor said. He got close to Hat Kid and placed his hand on one side of his mouth as he jokingly whispered, "His mom sort of overdoes it when he's hurt, so I'm saving him from a bone-crushing hug and a thousand-page lecture from her."

Seth, who had heard him, covered his face in embarrassment. "Alkhar, please!"

"What? It's true!"

"But don't talk about that to the kid! It's embarrassing!"

Hat Kid had to cover her mouth to prevent herself from laughing as she watched Dr. Alkhar tease his friend.

"Anyway, thanks for your help, kid. I'll take it from here," Dr. Alkhar nodded at Hat Kid. "Have fun and watch yourself out there."

"See you around, kid!" Seth waved his hand weakly.

"Bye!" Hat Kid waved her hand. Then, she walked out of the house, leaving the two nomads alone.

After that, she made her way back to the zipline and returned to the Windy Passage. Next stop: the Windmill.

* * *

"Well, shoot me now. That's gotta be the _biggest_ birdhouse I've ever seen in my life."

Arthur had managed to make his way across the Yellow Band Hills. Aside from having to lower a few bridges and fight off any crows and raccoons standing in his way, his ascension went pretty well.

Right now, he was standing atop the hills, staring in awe at the gigantic Birdhouse with leaves covering the thick, metallic cage bars. He could see wooden structures inside the giant cage, probably house-sized nest boxes, as well as the light produced by the Time Piece at the highest point inside the Birdhouse.

The size of this cage was impressive, but it made the boy also worry about the possibility of meeting giant birds inside of it. Regardless, he had to head in there to get the Time Piece. Hopefully, he won't run into any bird of abnormal size.

Arthur pointed his crowbar at the zipline on his side and latched the hook onto it. He wasn't out of the woods yet regarding his fear but he was getting more confident about using the ziplines. It took him to a peak inside the Birdhouse where he landed on something soft. A large amount of straws and feathers covered the ground, producing crunching sounds under the boy's feet.

Now that he was inside, he could have a better view on the structures inside the Birdhouse. Sure enough, there were wooden bird nest boxes about the size of regular houses. Some of them were built on small cliffs, while others were hung in the air by solid chains. Bird nests also rested on top of platforms allowing access between nest boxes.

Looking to the left, he spotted the glow of the Time Piece atop the highest point of a series of isolated small peaks. However, at the left of the glow -

"Jesus pecking _**Christ**_!" Arthur saw a giant black crow asleep on a bird nest next to the peak with the Time Piece. "Holy hell, a gigantic bird! Just my luck... At least, this one's sleeping like a big baby."

**"Quite a bird, is it not?"**

Arthur flinched upon hearing the voice and looked to the side, but he soon relaxed as he recognized the person. "Oh hey, Badge Seller." Indeed, the glitchy vendor was standing at his side, staring at the giant bird in the distance. "Yup, this one really didn't skimp on sunflower seeds."

The Badge seller chuckled. **"That is one way to put it."** This made Arthur chuckle as well. **"Anyway, I am glad to see the Hat Badge is working out well for you."**

The twelve-year-old boy raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

**"Have you noticed you are able to breathe easily despite being as such a high altitude?"** they asked, looking at him knowingly.

"Oh. Yeah, I did," Arthur admitted, recalling the event on the bridge and the conversation with Makhir. He touched the Hat Badge on his hat. "So that was your badge's doing, right?"

**"Yes,"** the Badge Seller nodded.** "I knew you would have to visit these mountains eventually, so I included the ability of your friend's species to breathe in places where there is a low amount of air."**

"Convenient," Arthur nodded as he crossed his arms.

The Badge Seller then smiled and said, **"You seem in a better mood today."**

The twelve-year-old boy rubbed his arm shyly and said with a smile, "Yeah, I... had a conversation last night and... it really helped me in a way."

**"A conversation with the girl?"** the Badge Seller asked with a smile, referring to Hat Kid.

"...Yeah. With the girl," Arthur nodded. "I guess I kinda needed it, even though at the time I didn't want to talk about... well... something personal."

They nodded. **"Talking about traumatic experiences is never easy, but when you have a friend who understands them it is a heavy weight off your shoulders. It is worth it."**

Arthur opened his mouth to ask how he knew that but he quickly shut it after realizing it would be a dumb question, considering this guy always know what's going on here and there with their 'mysterious ways' which they never seem willing to reveal.

"Yeah, I... kinda forgot how it felt..." he admitted. Normally he wouldn't say the following to anybody, but the Badge Seller had always been supportive of him since day one and they already know a lot more than they were supposed to, so... peck it, he'll just say it to them too. "I used to have a friend and my mom to talk to about my problems in my home world." He sighed, going back to a depressive state. "Both are dead though. Just... taken away like _that_." He snapped his fingers. "Because life has decided that I wasn't allowed to have anyone to support me. And now, I got Hat Kid in my life and... I'm afraid she'll..." He couldn't bring himself to say the word. "Y'know... It feels like a curse."

The Badge Seller nodded understandingly and said, **"Life is unpredictable sometimes. It is full of pain, suffering and tragedies; and it is never easy when you have to go through those feelings."** They paused as they stared off in the distance. **"But not everything is at dark as it seems. Somewhere in this dark place, there is a door hidden in the shadow. A door that inhabits the light that you need. It does not always show up when you want or expect it, but it can show up at a time you need it the most. You always have to seize the chance when it presents itself."** They looked back at Arthur with a smile. **"Which you did when your friend offered you that chance."**

The young boy chuckled. Not sarcastically or in disbelief, but more in amusement. "Yeah. Of all the people, never would've guessed Hat Kid would be the one to give me that chance. I mean, we _despised_ each other when we first met. Heh... something funny about that."

**"Sometimes, true friendships blossom from the most unexpected roots."**

"Yeah..." Arthur looked around – not the Birdhouse specifically, but his whole surroundings. "This world... the people here are so... different... More understanding. I mean, most of them tried to kill me but... compared to folks in my home world, they're... not so bad. With a few exceptions of course." He thought about Mustache Girl, the Mafia Boss, and the Snatcher on the last statement.

He rubbed his arm as he continued, "What I'm saying is... it's better than my home world. Had a bad start, but then just... crazy stuff I didn't expect to happen actually happened, if that makes any sense. Aside from all the betrayals and times where I almost died, I had good moments on this planet, and I made more friends here in one month than all the years I spent in my home world. This universe is, well, not the best but it's not the worst either. It's weird... it almost feel like..." He then went quiet and shook his head, refusing to finish his sentence. "Nah, that's just stupid."

**"Like home?"** the Badge Seller finished his sentence for him, smiling.

"No... No, I can't think like that," Arthur shook his head again, walking a few steps away from the glitchy vendor before stopping.

**"Why is that, young man?"**

Arthur sighed sadly, keeping his back turned on the Badge Seller. "It's just... it doesn't feel right. I wasn't born in this world. I don't think I'm even supposed to be here. Makes me an outcast, probably an anomaly."

**"Maybe not. Maybe fate has brought you here because maybe this is where you _truly_ belong."**

The young boy simply looked down, feeling a pit forming in his stomach. His guts were **_begging_** him to stay in this world and let himself be a part of it because he dreaded at the idea of returning to a life he knew was just mental and physical torture; a hellish life that never got him anywhere and where people despised him.

However, his mind – the pragmatic side – was telling him it couldn't be possible, that he didn't belong here because he came from another world and, well... just like Time Pieces breaking and rewinding time, maybe his presence in this world could have consequences in the stability of the universe or some crap; and therefore he shouldn't stay.

For now, there was still no way for him to return to his home world, so it was fine (and honestly, he was fine with that too for now). But when the time comes... he knew he would have to go back where he came from. It's just the way it is...

"I don't know... Maybe. Maybe not," Arthur shut his eyes in sorrow. "Either way, I can't stay here... The hourglass that brought me here, I broke it by accident. My presence here is plain accidental and wasn't supposed to happen. I don't think the stability of universes wanted this to occur and... maybe something will happen if I stay here too long."

There was a silence for a few seconds before the Badge Seller spoke again. **"Perhaps it is time to start thinking about what **_**you**_** really want for yourself instead of what you think others want, Arthur."**

Arthur turned around and opened his mouth to answer. However, the Badge Seller was gone again.

_'What I really want?'_ he pondered on the glitchy vendor's words. This made him think a little, but he still had mixed feelings about it and, honestly, he wasn't sure what he wanted anymore. Well, it was not important at the moment, he had to focus on getting to that Time Piece without waking the giant bird up.

He made his way forward, climbing on the nest boxes. And sure enough, he encountered a few crows and they were not happy to see the boy trespass their territory. Thankfully, despite being aggressive, they were quite slow, so Arthur was able to take them out without a problem.

After getting rid of the birds, the young boy kept moving. He passed by a couple of purple flower buds that he glanced at out of curiosity but decided not to linger on them. As he went near a straw nest, something big, white and oval shot out of it; probably a giant egg. Smoke was coming out of it as it began to make its way towards Arthur and it was... pulsating and ringing?

"What the-" Flashbacks of the cherry bomb from Subcon forest suddenly surfaced in the boy's mind. "**OHH CRAP!**"

**SPLASH!**

Arthur dove away, landing on his belly and covering his head with his arms, as the egg exploded upon hitting one of the haystacks laying around. Pieces of eggshell and yolk flew everywhere and landed around the spot of the 'explosion'.

Arthur rolled on his back and sat up to see the mess. "_**Exploding eggs**_?! What the **PECK**?!" He shook his head. Thankfully, he was unharmed, but he would have to watch out for those eggs, it was probably not the only one in this Birdhouse.

Pulling himself together, he got up and patted the dust off of himself before moving on. He made sure to avoid stepping in the yolk, a disgusted look forming on his face. He went inside a nest box and had to defend himself against a crow and run away from another exploding egg, before going up the ramp to the exit.

He ran into another crow but this one looked... different. It had some black Elvis-styled hair and red glasses. To Arthur's shock, it lunged at him at high speed and rammed him in the chest.

"Oof!" The hit threw Arthur backwards and he would have fallen back down to the bottom of the nest box if he didn't catch the edge in time.

He quickly pushed himself back on the surface, and when he looked up, he saw the fast bird charging at him again. He dashed to the side, successfully avoiding the bird who fell off the edge and landed in the pile of straw at the bottom.

The crow came out of the straw, shaking the stalks off of itself. It looked up at Arthur and cawed angrily, before rushing towards the ramp to get back up and attack the boy again.

However, Arthur decided he will not let this Elvis-looking bird take him by surprise again and positioned himself at the end of the ramp, holding his crowbar up like a baseball bat. And when the bird lunged at him, he swung his crowbar and hit it, sending the crow fly against the wall. It passed out as it hit the floor.

"Well damn, that's what I call a _home run_. Should've taken a class for baseball," Arthur joked, tipping his hat.

With a satisfied smirk, he headed outside. He walked up a ramp and was on a wooden platform with a better view on the cliff with the Time Piece and the giant bird sleeping next to it. It was so close but he had no way to access it from his position. Darn.

He flinched when he heard a ringing sound coming from another egg walking towards him. Thankfully, he spotted another haystack nearby and methodically led the egg to it while keeping his distance, causing it to explode upon touching the hay.

When Arthur uncovered his eyes, he saw the yolk and the eggshell mess left by the 'explosion'. Looking a bit closer, he spotted a yarn in place of the haystack; it was probably hidden in it and the egg revealed it by blowing it up. It was half-covered in yolk and straw remains, but Hat Kid would still be happy to have it.

"Ugh... Gross..." Arthur picked it up with a disgusted face. He shook it a little to remove a bit of the yolk on it and wrapped it in a tissue before putting it his pocket.

Suddenly, a distant scream was heard, surprising the boy and causing him to look around frantically. It seemed to be getting louder and closer by the second, and when Arthur looked up, he formed a shocked expression when he saw an elevator falling from the sky.

Time seemed to slow as the elevator reached his level off the platform, and the boy could see a person inside it. It was a young woman with blond hair tied in a ponytail, green eyes with a white eyepatch covering her right one, a black fedora hat, a black suit with white sleeves and a green tie, black pants and dark brown shoes.

Arthur and the woman made eye contact with each other, both of them having a startled and confused expression. Suddenly, time returned to its normal speed and the elevator continued falling down into the void with the scream of the woman following it. The twelve-year-old boy ran to the rail and looked down over it. He only had time to see the elevator vanish through a strange rift which disappeared soon after.

"What in the hell...?" Arthur muttered, completely lost and confused.

Suddenly, a loud chirp made the boy jolt in alarm. He saw the giant bird slowly open one of its eyes. Crap, the woman's scream must have waken it up.

Arthur quickly crouched behind the rail to not get spotted as the massive crow lazily scanned the whole Birdhouse with its half-opened eye. If that thing saw him, he'll probably serve as breakfast for it. Thankfully, it didn't... for now. He held his breath, fearing that the bird might hear him.

The bird looked around for a few seconds, but all it saw with its tired eye were the smaller crows and the giant eggs scattered around the birdhouse. Eventually, the gigantic crow felt its tiredness take over again. Its eye slowly closed before it went back to its slumber.

Arthur let out a relieved breath. That was close! He stood up and his thoughts went back to the scene that occured before. Where the hell did that elevator come from? Where did that weird rift take it? And who was that woman? What is going on here?

_'Weird... I hope she landed somewhere safe,'_ he thought, not wanting to imagine the worst case scenario for the young woman.

As strange as this experience was, he had to keep moving and find a way to reach the Time Piece.

With that, Arthur continued exploring the Birdhouse. On the way, he found a relic at the end of a parkour that required the ability of his Dweller Badge to get through. It was an empty crayon box which can fit three crayons. The young boy pocketed it and made a mental note to give it to Hat Kid later.

He made progress through the nest boxes, taking out any crows on his way and avoiding the exploding eggs. Eventually, he reached a horn on top of the farthest nest box and blew in it. It drew out a zipline nearby that leads directly to the small cliffside where the giant bird is.

Arthur headed down and stood at the foot of the zipline. He gulped nervously, staring at the giant crow. It was still sleeping like a baby but damn... it was so huge... and the Time Piece was on the cliff right after the bird. God, why did he have to get past this thirty-feet-tall crow to reach the Time Piece? Why couldn't the zipline lead him directly to it?

The twelve-year-old boy sighed. He didn't have a choice. It was either that or go back to the village empty-handed.

_'Well... here goes nothing,'_ he thought, before latching his hook onto the zipline and taking off.

Once he made it to the other side, Arthur took a step back after finding himself face to face with the giant crow. The snoring of the abnormally large creature filling the boy's ears. Saying that being up so close to this thing is intimidating was an understatement.

The young boy looked behind the bird and could see the Time Piece atop of the cliffside; a ladder conveniently placed against it was providing a way up to the powerful hourglass. He will have to proceed slowly and quietly if he didn't want to wake up the 'beast'.

Taking a deep breath, Arthur began tiptoeing towards the ladder. He froze and looked down when a slight crunching noise was heard beneath his foot. Straw... Peck, there was straw everywhere. He was in the giant bird's nest, of course there would be straw all over the place.

He grimaced and quietly cursed under his breath. This is going to be much harder than he anticipated. Thankfully, the first sound didn't wake the crow up, but he'll have to make sure not to make too much noise.

Taking a deep breath, Arthur continued moving step by step, trying to place his feet in spots that had the least straw to create as little sound as possible. He could feel his anxiety increase with each steps he took and he had to take deep and quiet breaths to make sure he didn't start to hyperventilate.

_'So far so good. So far so good,'_ he repeated in his mind to give himself some confidence.

The boy suddenly heard a low and deep cooing noise escape the giant bird's beak, making him freeze in place, worried that he might have woken the crow up. However, the bird was still sleeping. It was probably in the middle of a dream, which might explain the sound it made.

Sighing in relief, Arthur continued sneaking through the nest, going around the crow and eventually making it to the ladder. He thought things would be easier at this point. Boy, he was so wrong... As soon as he set his hands and foot on the ladder, a creaking sound could be heard. It was an old wooden ladder that probably went through years without maintenance. Just his luck...

The Time Piece was right at the top though, and it wasn't too far up. If he proceeds carefully, he will be fine... hopefully.

After making sure the giant crow was still sound asleep, Arthur began climbing up the ladder as slowly and quietly as possible. He gritted his teeth with each creaking sound produced by the ladder in bad shape.

He was almost there. So close... Just a little furth- **CRACK!** Arthur gasped as one of the rungs snapped in half underneath his foot, almost making him fall. He quickly caught himself by setting his foot on the next rung. However, the giant crow suddenly tweeted and stirred a little, its left eye slightly opening.

"Craaaaaaap..." the young boy silently cursed through gritted teeth. His face was crunched up in a grimace and sweat dripped from his forehead. Good thing he was already behind the bird, otherwise he would've been spotted immediately. But because of that stupid cheap-quality ladder, he had accidentally awaken the beast.

He remained still on the ladder as he hoped the giant crow wouldn't turn around to find him on the ladder and eat him alive. The bird didn't seem to have caught the direction of the noise as it didn't turn around, but Arthur knew it was looking around to see where it came from.

After some intense seconds that felt like hours, the bird cooed, its eye slowly closing. Eventually, it began snoring again, meaning it fell back asleep.

Arthur let out a deep breath in relief. That was so pecking close... Almost got himself killed right here. He waited a few more seconds before he continued climbing up. Finally, he made it to the top and found the Time Piece on the rocky floor.

"Finally gotcha," the boy whispered as he crouched and picked up the hourglass. It was tough but he finally got it. Now he had to go back to the zipline and avoid waking the giant crow again, because if he does, he knew it would get too suspicious to go back to sleep, and then he'll be screwed.

He put the Time Piece in his pocket and climbed down the ladder, avoiding the broken rung as he did. Then he snuck through the nest again, using the same path as before. He was more careful this time and it paid off as he managed to reach the zipline without alerting the bird.

Arthur didn't waste time to use the zipline and go back to the safe area. Once he was out of danger, he leaned forward and rested his hands on his knees as he took a few breaths to calm himself down.

"Man, that was close..." he sighed.

It was nerve-wrecking... but nonetheless the young boy couldn't help but smile, seeing that his efforts paid off. He got the Time Piece; and now he could go back to Goat Village and meet up with Hat Kid. He hoped she didn't have too much trouble getting past the Lazy Paw Gang and climbing up the Windmill to retrieve her Time Piece. But hey, she was a capable one, he knew that.

Having accomplished his task, Arthur went back to the bottom of the Birdhouse. He passed by the same purple flower buds from earlier, not paying much attention to them.

However, as soon as he went away, the flowers suddenly bloomed. They pulsated and a dark purple smoke emanated from them. The wind took some of its pollen away. Meanwhile, a goat was standing on top of a cliff not too far away from the Birdhouse, watching over Alpine Skyline. Suddenly, the pollen from the strange flowers flew right towards its face and went inside its nose.

As soon as it did, the goat began feeling weird. It twitched for a few seconds, sneezing loudly a few times. It shut its eyes and tightened its fists for a moment. And when its eyes opened again... they were glowing red and a feeling of rage slowly overtook the goat as it growled angrily.

This was the beginning of a disaster soon to come...

* * *

**A/N :**** Hey everyone! Well... long time no see! I guess I owe you all an explanation on why I haven't posted any new chapter for four months. Eheh... Well... to be honest, I think I needed a break as I had a loss of motivation during this time. Not to mention that I got a new game called Dead By Daylight and I've been busy playing it a lot, which drained my motivation even further.**

**These two reasons together were the cause of why I haven't been writing for the past four months (plus, this new chapter took longer than I expected to write). But finally, I managed to gather the courage and motivation to write and finish this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it!**

**So in this chapter, I decided to include a little sub-boss fight as well as a side-mission for Hat Kid as she entered the Lazy Paw Gang territory to make it more interesting and add some action. And on Arthur's side, I decided to add a moment where he had to sneak past the giant sleeping crow in the Birdhouse instead of having him jump on the bird's head like you do in the game, as it makes more sense. (No seriously, I doubt you guys would be able to jump on a giant bird's head without waking it up in real life. And if you somehow manage to do it... well, I guess this bird is an extremely heavy sleeper.)**

**Oh also, I made Konan720's OC, Julia, appear as a cameo in this chapter since she did the same with Arthur in Chapter 22 of her story "A Hat in Time: Julia's Return". I recommend reading it if you guys haven't. But before that, make sure to read her other story "A Hat in Time: Amnesiac's Journey" since it tells the events that happened before the former.**

**Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Now moving on to the reviews!**

_**To pokemonsora01:**_** Heh, you're right about that. Anyway, thank you!**

_**To Mr. Mega1423: **_**Thanks! I figured it would be nice to give characters some names, as well as a more important role in this part, considering you don't meet any real major character in the Alpine Skyline section. Makes things interesting. About Arthur's fear of heights, thankfully he's working on it by forcing himself to go through ziplines and gaps. He's not out of the woods yet, but he's doing his best for Hat Kid and the Time Pieces. (Also don't worry, I'm aware of Arthur's cameo you made in your story. I'll include it in the next chapter. ;))**

_**To HexoSpikeZ:**_** Thank you! Hmm, that's a nice theory. Who knows? ;) Also if you reread the first chapter, in Hat Kid's previous adventure, the planet did blow up but the inhabitants didn't die as she helped them evacuate before the explosion. Although she wished she could've prevented that.**

_**To Konan720:**_** Yeah, Arthur had it rough, but you're right, this newfound support helped him mature and is slowly helping him to overcome his fears. Also, glad you managed to catch up! Hope you'll enjoy the future chapters to come! ^^**

**All right, that's all for today! I'm sorry for taking so long to release this chapter, but don't worry guys, I'm not done with this story yet and I'll continue writing it to the end. See you all in the next chapter! (^_^)/**


End file.
